Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Thomas James GARTH and Sarah Ann nee MARTIN

Reginald Garth, was a 12-year-old Perth boy when he stowed away on RMS Mooltan on 24 May 1915 in a bid to join his father and three brothers on the front. Discovered aboard, the soldiers made quite the “hero of him”, fashioning a small uniform and offering to recruit him as a bugler. Military regulations meant that he was later off-loaded at Colombo and returned to Australia aboard RMS Mongolia. Reginald’s father, 782 Sergeant Thomas Garth, and one of his brothers, 2298 Gunner (Gnr) Frank Garth, were later killed in action in 1916; another brother, 216 Gnr John Garth, was severely wounded in 1916 and later died in 1929. A third brother, 2149 Driver Thomas Garth, was discharged from service on compassionate grounds in May 1917.

YOUNG WARRIOR
TWELVE YEAR OLD BOY'S
ADVENTURE.
 
After a few weeks of adventure a 12-year-old lad named Reginald Garth, son of Mrs. Garth of Clarence-street, Mt. Lawley, has returned to has home. During his absence, in  pursuance of his determination to go to the front, and do his share towards upholding the honor of the Empire, he had journeyed to Colombo in style, despite the fact that he  stowed away in order to make the trip, and was unceremoniously bundled back from the Ceylon port. Young Garth, in desiring to see active service, had the examples of his  elders to prompt his military ardour. His father and three brothers had gone or were preparing to go, and an excellent opportunity for getting away was presented to his mind by  the sailing of the R.M.S. Mooltan on May 24, with a big Red Cross contingent. He accordingly repaired to Fremantle, hid himself on the mail boat; and when she was well clear of  the land, came out and announced his intention of going to the front. For the rest of the voyage he was the hero of the ship, and attired in the uniform of the Army Medical Corps he was the pet of the little community civilian and A.M.C. alike. On arrival at Colombo, however, his castle in the air came to an end. He was transferred to the R.M.S. Mongolia by waiting officials, and the return journey was made, much to his chagrin and despite the kindly attention of the passengers. He was placed on the ship's articles, more as an  excuse for his presence than for any laborious duties imposed upon him and when the liner tied up at Fremantle he was given an honorable discharge from the ship and a cheer from his late fellow members of the crew for the pluck and resource he displayed in his adventurous though ill-feted attempt to get to the front.