GARDINER, Walter
| Service Number: | 1836 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 June 1916, 2nd Reinforcements D Coy |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 37th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Happy Valley, South Australia, 18 July 1886 |
| Home Town: | Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Coal Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 12 October 1917, aged 31 years |
| Cemetery: |
St. Julien Dressing Station Cemetery, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1836, 37th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements D Coy | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Aug 1916: | Involvement Private, 1836, 37th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 16 Aug 1916: | Embarked Private, 1836, 37th Infantry Battalion, RMS Orontes, Melbourne | |
| 23 Apr 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1836, 37th Infantry Battalion, GSW to head |
World War 2 Service
| 12 Oct 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1836, 37th Infantry Battalion, Near Passchendael Ridge, Belgium |
|---|
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Walter GARDINER (Service Number 1836) was born on 28 February 1883 at Happy Valley, South Australia. He began his career with the Railways in February 1914 and was working as a fuelman at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot. He would remain in this position until he joined the AIF on 14 January 1916, at the age of 30.
He was wounded on on 12 October 1917. After being wounded, he went missing, but it was discovered that he was killed in action on this day, in the field, in Belgium. One account states that he ‘was in action and apparently wounded in the heart’, and another recounts that he was ‘wounded that day at Passchendaele… a shell burst… a sniper got him, I think in the chest’. He was buried in St Julien Dressing Station Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium.
Submitted 18 July 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Chris Buckley
Wallie was the son of Mary Jane Gardiner of Adelaide, South Australia. He was in Melbourne, Victoria in the late 1890s where he worked as a Labourer and Hawker.
Wallie was a Coal Labourer at Port Melbourne in 1916 when he married Emily (Nita) Uneta Griffiths (born 1895 in Clifton Hill, Victoria). Their son Walter Robert was born in 1915, and Walter Snr enlisted in the AIF in 1916, serving briefly as a Sapper with 23rd Battalion Miners' Reinforcements before transferring to 37th Infantry Battalion 2nd Reinforcements D Coy. Walter was WiA on two occasions in France - a GSW to the head in April 1917 and in October 1917 he was reported MiA 'seen wounded in the field by men of Coy. No hospital disposal notices have been received' (National Archives Australia).
The Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau Files (2 May 1918) reports that Walter was KiA in the Field in Belgium and buried in the vicinity of Argentiers Wood.
Corporal Osborne (Service No:1889) states 'I last saw him on October 18th 1917 when he was in action and apparently wounded in the heart. A comrade (unknown) was rendering him assistance. I spoke to Gardiner but he was unable to reply. He seemed very severely wounded'.
Osborne also states 'A Wallie Gardiner, of the 24 Reinforcements who enlisted with me, a married man from Port Melbourne, Victoria, a coal labourer, about 22 to 23, was wounded that day at Passchendaele ... Gardiner was in the next shell hole with two others ... a shell burst there and Gardiner was wounded ... Gardiner tried to get out of the hole and as he did so a sniper got him, I think in the chest. I saw another man get to him and try to bandage him. It was only a few yards away, and I sang out to him 'How are you Wallie'? I got no answer so I fancy it was serious'.
Wallie was interred at Langemarck-Poelkapelle in Belgium.
Wife Nita died in 1921 and son Walter Robert was raised by his maternal Grandmother. He served with the RAAF (Leading Aircraftman, Service No:128283) in WWII.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Walter GARDINER (Service Number 1836) was born on 28th February 1883 at Happy Valley, South Australia. He began his career with the Railways in February 1914 and was working as a fuelman at Eveleigh Locomotive Depot. He would remain in this position until he joined the AIF on 14th January 1916 at the age of 30. He embarked at Port Melbourne on 16th August 1916. He disembarked at Plymouth on 2nd October 1916. He was taken on strength of the 37th Battalion on 26th October 1916. He went to France on 20th December. He marched out to the front on 15th March 1917. He was wounded in action on 23rd April. He was admitted to the 10th Field Ambulance for a gunshot wound to the head. He re-joined after a quick recovery on 12th May 1917.
However, he was wounded again on 12th October 1917. After being wounded, he went missing . However, it was later discovered that he was killed in action on this day in the field in Belgium. One account states that he ‘was in action and apparently wounded in the heart’, and another recounts that he was ‘wounded that day at Passchendaele… a shell burst… a sniper got him, I think in the chest’. He was buried in St Julien Dressing Station Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium.
His wife was listed as his next of kin. However, she died before his possessions could be forwarded on. Therefore, his mother-in-law, also the guardian of his six-year-old son, received these possessions on behalf of her daughter. She received a scarf, bag handle, testament, and a cap cover. She also received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal in honour of her son-in-law’s service. They were held in trust for her grandson.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station honour Board