Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Geoffrey, born on the 11th August 1903 at Langhorne’s Creek was the youngest son of John and Mary Agnes Gardner. (The name of the town is now shortened to just Langhorne). Geoff had three brothers, Jack, Roy and Allan plus a sister, Madge. the wine growing region on the banks of the Bremer River in South Australia.
Geoff attended the Strathalbyn District High School, where he proved to be talented student. At the Speech night in 1920, mention was made of Geoff gaining the Senior Certificate with honours in economics awarded in the previous year’s Public Certificate.
The following year, Geoff was the ‘energetic local Honorary Secretary’ in the cadet corps. He was involved in the successful inaugural sports competitions, held in hot blustery February conditions at the Strathalbyn Show Grounds. In that era, quite strict fines were imposed on what would now be perceived as minor traffic infringements. Unfortunately, Geoff had ‘allowed his motor car to remain stationary in Hindley street on April 22 1924 for more than half an hour’ and received a fine of 10/ with £1 16/- costs – an expensive exercise.
Geoff was 24 when his mother, who had been in poor health for some time, died in February ‘28. His 73-year-old father, John, died on the 23rd December ten years later. Both were buried in the Langhorne Creek Cemetery. Following his mother’s death, money was particularly tight for Geoff and his actions spiralled as several charges were brought against him for passing valueless cheques, including one for purchasing a pair of shoes. Fortunately, Geoff was given a bond of £10 to ‘be of good behaviour and abstain from intoxicating liquor for 12 months’. He was also found guilty of passing valueless cheques to the value of £10 4/4 but had made restitution.
Unfortunately, while residing in Bordertown in October ’38 Geoff and his friend were both fined ‘£2, with 10/- costs, for being unlawfully on the licensed premises of Bordertown Hotel at 11.55 p.m. on Saturday, October 1st.’ It was also a challenging time for Geoff as his father died just prior to Christmas that year.
WWII intervened and 36-year-old Geoff enlisted on the 24th June ’40 as SX7150 and was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. At the time he was working as a truck driver for Mr Wickham Flower at Bordertown. Flower established his company in ’31 in the South-East, employing many in the sale and servicing of agricultural equipment. With both parents deceased, Geoff nominated his older brother, Roy as his next of kin.
Geoff’s early days were spent at Wayville in the pavilions of the Royal Show grounds. Following pre-embarkation leave, he boarded the Stratheden on the 7th November to arrive in the Middle East on the 17th of December. Unfortunately, on the voyage over, he spent several weeks in the ship’s hospital. Almost immediately after arrival, rather than seeing action, Geoff developed dysentery in April and was again hospitalised before eventually attending the Amiriya Training Camp. Geoff’s leadership skills were recognised at the commencement of January ’42. Unfortunately, in the rather primitive desert conditions, he developed quite severe infected boils, requiring treatment over several days.
Once back with his fellow members of the 2/48th in March that year, Geoff and ‘Diver’ Derick spent days training fellow soldiers in gas demonstrations. Mark Johnston in the well annotated ‘Derrick VC In His Own Words’ records Derrick’s diary entry on the 14th “have had an interesting day and been gassed a good bit with CAP. Returned home in truck at 1900, remainder of Coy doing a night manoeuvre.” Johnston explaining that CAP was a form of tear gas often used in training and that is was the basis of the Mace self-defence spray.
By July, Geoff became Acting Corporal. The following month Derrick recorded that Geoff had a week of training, returning with a B Classification, being promoted to Corporal soon after.
John G. Glenn’s ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ recorded an incident that happened just prior to Geoff being wounded:
“It was just after dusk when we heard the purr of one of our jeeps. This caused some speculation. It could be Jerry or one of our chaps who’d got lost. We were ordered to hold our fire until we were sure it was not one of our own. The jeep came in, followed our wire, ducked into the gap, and drove right up to our section and pulled up. All three men in the jeep were clearly silhouetted against the skyline. In the section nearby were Lieutenant McLellan, Scotty Paton, Mick Salter, Geoff Gardner, Johnny Ralla, Wally Fennell and Erin Starkey, all of whom, with the exception of one man, were to become casualties during the next three days fighting.” It transpired the jeep was German, containing officers who had previously been at Trig 29 and believed it was still in their hands! In the same book, Despite these injuries, Wally survived to become a Lance Sergeant.
Unfortunately, soon after during the fierce fighting at El Alamein, Geoff was wounded in action on the 26th October ’42 with a gunshot wound in his right foot, causing multiple fractures. Johnny Ralla was also wounded and described the injuries to his leg: “My left leg was at right angles to my body and blood was gushing from a wound in the groin. Wally Fennell came back holding the side of his head. Sergeant Derrick had been hit…” At the time, a massive assault to ambitiously take the strategic position of Trig 29 was underway. Conditions at the time were ever-changing and the fighting continuous. Montgomery had ordered the 9th Battalion to attack northward.
John Glenn described the carnage caused by the chance hit from an enemy shell on a truck loaded with mines.
‘An ear shattering explosion dwarfed the sound of the guns into insignificance. Seven other trucks, all ladened with mines, had been set off. The whole area became a ghastly raging inferno. As trucks burned and exploded a great wall of fire shot into the sky. The gun flashes seemed dimmed; night was turned into day. The concussion was terrific. He added:
‘The attack continued, however, without pause…it was only after hard fighting, with heavy casualties on both sides, that they were able to consolidate on their objective. The troops had never been more tired.. The 2/48th had stirred up a real hornets’ nest; from first light until nine o’clock the enemy turned all their fury on the Trig area, with particularly heavy fire on 29 itself, hiding the position in a cloud of dust and smoke.’ A comment was later made that about the heavy casualties. On that night alone 9 of the Battalion were killed and 20 wounded in action. Of these 16 were from South Australia and the remainder from Western Australia.
The subsequent action between October 25th and 26th meant that the survivors of the horrific explosion and ensuing fighting were not always able to immediately retrieve their fallen men. Geoff was wounded under these conditions.
Back home, the November 12th issue of the Chronicle reported on the injured and deceased. From the 2/48th battalion, these included SX10325 Captain Peter ROBBINS Killed in Action. Died Of Wounds.—SX6893 Pte. Leslie C. Cutchie, Brompton Park; SX6672 Pte. Gordon F. Munday, Cowell; SX3917 Sgt. Francis G. Ziesing, St. Peters. Wounded In Action.— SX9327 Lt. Thomas H. Bowman, Ardrossan; SX7093 Cpl. Norman L. Badman, Pinnaroo; SX11069 Pte. Stanley J. Crowell, Price; SX715O L/Cpl. Geoffrey Gardner, Bordertown; SX 12741 Pte. Jack Hoey, Kadina; SX6737, Pte. Ross. E. Hoskin, Kilkenny; SX11135 Pte, James N. Jarvis, Kent Town; SX8268 Cp! William K Mackay, Snowtown; SX7669 Pte. William Miller, Booleroo Centre; SX11753 Pte. Terrence C. O'Connor, Adelaide: SX13763 Pte. Eric. K. Reynolds, Novar Gardens;- SX5991 Pte. Stanley G. Smith Croydon Park; SX7311 Pte. Rayner R. Stagg, . Tarcowie: SX8539 Pte. Edward. J. . Young, Morgan. Dangerously Wounded.—SX13191 Pte. William. R. Bowd.
The Advertiser of November 7th added extra detail. ‘Advice has been received that Cpl Geoff Gardner has been wounded in action. He is the youngest son of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Gardner, of Strathalbyn. Enlisting in May, 1940, he went overseas in November of the same year. He served in Tobruk for a considerable period, and also in the Egyptian campaign.’ A week later, the Border Chronicle also reported that ‘L/Cpl Geoff. Gardner, who was for some time employed by Mr Wickham Flower, of Bordertown, is also reported wounded in-action.’
Geoff spent considerable time in hospitals being treated for the debilitating injury, which would terminate his military service. While he was able to re-join the 2/48th Battalion, it was to return to Australia via Melbourne, with much depleted ranks. The multiple foot fractures made walking, an essential element of military service, extremely painful. Inevitably, Geoff was classified as being able only to carry out duties requiring ‘restricted medical fitness.’ Aged 40, Geoff was given a civilian suit and discharged on the 27th August ’43.
Living in Fullarton, Aged 79, Geoff died on the 26th October 1982 and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, General D Path 25 Grave 939A. Almost 16 years later, his wife Jean died in July 1998 and now rests with Geoff.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.