Name
Horace Gurdler
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/11/1918
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
96982
Tank Corps
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TINCOURT NEW BRITISH CEMETERY
VI.D.8
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Rickmansworth Urban District Memorial,
St. Peter's C & E Primary School Memorial, Mill End
Pre War
Horace was born in Mill End on the 21st of December 1898 and baptised there on the 5th of February 1899. His parents were Henry, a Labourer, and Sarah (nee Miles)Gurdler.
In 1901 they were living Uxbridge Road, Rickmansworth, with six children. In 1911 Horace was living with his brother James, and his wife and daughter, both Ethel, at 2 Tannery Cottages, Uxbridge Road, Mill End. Also in the household were his father Henry, and his sister Queenie. His mother, age 42, was listed as a Laundry Was her visiting Caleb Shepherd age 45, at 6 Chapel Row, Uxbridge Road, Mill End. With her were her children Rosina age 20, a General Servant, Francis 6, and Alfred 3.
Wartime Service
The first use of tanks, operated by the Heavy Section of the Machine Gun Corps, was at Flers-Courcelette in September 1916. They were not a success proving to be unreliable and vulnerable to artillery fire. At Arras in April 1917 they were again ineffective in the mud, craters and deep trenches.
The Tank Corps was formed in July 1917 most of the personnel coming from the Heavy Section MCG and RASC Drivers. The improved Mark IV’s did have limited success at Cambrai in August 1917, Le Hamel in July 1918, Amiens in August 1918, and the assault on the Hindenberg Line in September 1918.
All that is known of Horace’s service is that he died of illness in Tincourt, possibly in one of the Casualty Clearing Stations there, on the 12th of November 1918.
Additional Information
Brother of Private William Gurdler who was killed in action on 28 Mar 1918 and of Private Albert Gurdler who was killed in action on 22 Mar 1918 and of Private James Henry Gurdler who died of wounds on 4 Sep 1916. These are all commemorated on these memor
Acknowledgments
Malcolm Lennox, Tanya Britton, Mike Collins
