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John William Garwood (1886-1949)


Suffolk farm labourer served with 29th DLI won DCM during '100 Days Offensive'


John William Garwood, the son of James and Margaret Garwood, was born in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 8 June 1886. He had four brothers and two sisters and, apart from military service, appears to have lived in Suffolk all his life. After working as a farm hand he joined the 2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment at York on 24 December 1907. He was posted on 23 March 1908 and arrived in India on 16 October 1908, where he remained until 21 December 1911. Two days later he arrived in Malta, where he probably met his future wife. He was there until 25 September 1914, when he was transferred to France, arriving on 5 November. On 19 June 1918 he was transferred to the 29th Battalion Durham Light Infantry and on 17 September, during the ‘100 Days Offensive’, he won the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM). He was demobilised on 27 January 1919 and returned to Suffolk where he married Emma Florence Louisa Knell on 17 July 1920. They had six children and they later moved to Ipswich, where he died on 11 January 1949.

His award of the DCM was gazetted on 11 March 1920 and the citation reads:

“At Ypres, on the 17th September, 1918, on a daylight patrol, he showed most conspicuous gallantry by attacking an enemy machine-gun post single-handed under heavy machine-gun fire. He rushed the post and fired his revolver at the occupants, causing casualties. On the 18th September he brought his Lewis gun into action under a heavy barrage of shell and machine-gun fire, enabling the remainder of a patrol to withdraw”.

Birth date: 8-Jun-1886

Death date: 11-Jan-1949

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 2 Reeds Buildings, Eastgate, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (1891 census)
16 Foundry Cottages, Bury St Edmunds (1901 census)
India (1911 census)
11 Nacton Crescent, Ipswich, Suffolk (1939 Register)
18 Etna Road, Northgate Street, Bury St Edmunds (Demobilisation papers)

Employment: Farm labourer (1901 census)
Army Private (1911 census)
Carriage cleaner L.N.E.R. (1939 Register)

Family: Father: James Garwood
Mother: Margaret Garwood (nee Boreham)
Siblings: Herbert James, Horatio, Elizabeth, Frederick Arthur, Charles & Ellen Garwood
Wife: Emma Florence Louisa Garwood (nee Knells)
Children: Margaret Ada Florence Louisa, Cyril Whayman Philo, Florence Elizabeth, Betty Frances, Alfred James & David Osborne Garwood.

Military service:

2nd Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment
29th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Regimental numbers: 8690 & 104137
Private

Medal(s): Distinguished Conduct Medal
India General Service Medal
1914 (Mons) Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by John Edwards


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