Name
(Harry) Gordon Garrod
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/07/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
265126
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 54 and 56.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial,
St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town,
Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town,
Educational Supplies Association factory Roll of Honour, Stevenage,
4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin,
Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Harry Gordon – just Gordon withing the family - was born in 1893 in Halstead, Essex. His parents were Jethro and Sarah Garrod.
In 1901 the family were living at Southsea Road, Stevenage. Present were both parents: Jethro (40) and Sarah (36), with Jethro working as a carpenter. Their children were: Frank(16), Percy (13), Gordon (Harry Gordon, 7), Richard (3) and Maud at 1 month.
In 1911 the family address was recorded as No 14 Southsea Road, Stevenage, Herts. Present were both parents, Jethro working as a carpenter in school furnishing. Of the above children Percy was absent, Gordon was 17 and working as an office boy in school furnishing. The census recorded his parents had been married for 26 years with 5 children, all living.
Before the war both Jethro and Gordon worked in the Educational Supplies Association factory.
Officially he was recorded as born in Halstead, Essex, and was living in Stevenage when he enlisted there.
Wartime Service
Harry, originally served in the Herts Territorial Regiment as Private 1773, meaning that he enlisted between 14th January 1911 and 26th January 1912. He must have volunteered for overseas service as he was with them when they landed in France on the 6th November 1914. He served continuously with his Regiment and was to lose his life on the first day of a major British offensive, The Third Ypres, or Battle of Passchendaele.
The offensive was launched on 31 July 1917 and continued until the fall of Passchendaele village on 6 November. Although it resulted in gains for the Allies it was by no means the breakthrough General Haig intended, and such gains as were made came at great cost in human terms. The village of St. Juliaan lies on the Hanebeek, one of the small streams that drains the fields in this area. On the 18th July 1917 a heavy preliminary artillery bombardment began which lasted for the ten days prior to the launch of the attack. The bombardment was made by 3,000 guns which expended four and a quarter million shells into the surrounding ground. Given such an onslaught the German Fourth Army fully expected the attack and the element of surprise was entirely lost. Added to this was the fact that the area was suffering the heaviest rains it had seen for 30 years and this, combined with the shelling, turned the ground into a hellish morass.
The Battalion were in support of an attack on the Langemarck Line and at 03.45am the planned assault began. It had three objectives to achieve known as Blue, Black & Green and units of the 116th Brigade easily captured the first two objectives, preparing the way for the forward companies of the Hertfordshire battalion, to take the third objective.
At 05.00am they left their assembly positions to attack their objective, which lay over the crest of a ridge. As they made their way forward they came under heavy fire from both German machine guns and snipers but after eliminating a German strongpoint moved up towards St.Julian, which was only lightly held. The battalion crossed the Steenbeek with some difficulty and two of its supporting Tanks became bogged down in the mud. Things then went from bad to worse. A pre-arranged artillery barrage never materialised due to the guns being unable to move forward over the muddy terrain and the German barbed wire defences, which were fifteen feet deep in some places, were found to still be intact.
It was soon realised that ground could only be won by section " rushes" supported by the unit’s own fire. The Cheshire Regiment were on the right of the battalion but the Black Watch, who were due to cover the left flank, had been seriously delayed. This left the Hertfordshire's seriously exposed and the Germans exploited this by bringing a hurricane of fire down upon the stricken troops. This was followed by a German counter-attack and by 10.30 am it was clear that the objective could not be achieved. Casualties were very heavy with 459 men being killed, missing or wounded.
Harry has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death £20 19s 6d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother Sarah on 30 January 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £17 was authorised to be paid to her on 7 November 1919.
His pension cards record Sarah Garrod as his mother and as his dependant, living at 5 Holmsdale Terrace, Stevenage. She was awarded a pension of 7s a week from 26 March 1918.
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
