2nd Lieutenant Godfrey Derman Gardner
9TH SUFFOLK REGIMENT
TIME WAS RUNNING OUT FOR Rawlinson’s army to get to their chosen start line before 15th September and troops were still trying frantically to secure objectives to pave the way for a momentous breakthrough advance. On the 9th there had been another ill-fated attack towards High Wood, but it still evaded the general’s men. To the south the intended advance towards Combles had faltered, although Falfemont Farm was now in Allied hands. The Earl of Cavan was overseeing the corps of the Fourth Army that met with the French and under his command was a 34-year-old musician named Godfrey Gardner. Born in West London, on the outbreak of war Godfrey joined one of the city’s territorial battalions before applying for a regular commission and finding himself transferred to the Suffolk Regiment.
Music was in Godfrey Gardner’s blood. His father was a professor of music and Godfrey, one of the youngest of more than a dozen children, followed his lead. Educated at the Philological School, he went on to the Guildhall School of Music, Queen’s College, Oxford, and the Royal Academy of Music. He was a member and organist of the Royal Philharmonic Society, an organist at Holy Trinity, Paddington, and St Giles’, Cripplegate. He also found time to fulfil his role as a professor of music at the School for the Blind in Swiss Cottage. Once in France in 1915, Godrey arranged numerous events and entertainments for the men in addition to his official duties. He organised the music for the Easter services at Talbot House. Named after a fallen young officer, this ‘Every-Mans Club’ in Poperinghe near Ypres was the brainchild of an army chaplain named ‘Tubby’ Clayton and a refuge for the British soldier. Opened at the end of 1915, rank was left at the door. There was a constant supply of tea, rooms where the men could relax and read, and a chapel at the top of the house where visitors could seek solace and try to forget what was going on nearby on the battlefield.
The Thiepval Memorial. (Andrew Holmes)
Clayton said of Easter Day 1916: ‘I shall always regard it as the happiest of my ministry.’ They had planned ten services, not having a clue if anyone would be able to make it at all, but the day far surpassed their expectations. The house was busy from 5:30am with worshippers. Godfrey laid on music for the occasion and was helped by members of the Welsh Guards’ Choir. At lunchtime they went off in a group to a headquarters for another service before visiting a battery of gunners bearing hymn books and a harmonium for Godfrey to play.
During the month of August 1916, Godfrey’s battalion rotated in and out of the trenches at the northern end of the Somme battlefield. By the end of the month though, the 9th Suffolks had travelled south and on 11th September moved into the trenches running from Leuze Wood to the edge of Ginchy, partly relieving William Jannaway’s division and partly Edward Cazalet’s. Patrols revealed no enemy troops immediately south-east of Ginchy and Godfrey’s battalion was among those ordered to attack. At 6:20am on 13th September, the 9th Suffolks went forward in conjunction with another battalion to attack the Quadrilateral, a well-protected German stronghold to the east of Ginchy. When the men reached the 400 yards of open ground running up to the German wire entanglements in front of the Quadrilateral, the battalion was held up by machine-gun fire amidst mist and low cloud.
The attack ground to a halt. A reserve company was ordered up to join them but, owing to the German machine-gun fire, they could not attack. A third attempt went forward at 6pm but the 9th Suffolks could still not penetrate the Quadrilateral. A new trench was dug by the battalion and this enabled them to get in touch with the 2nd Sherwoods on the left and the 8th Bedfords on the right, but for the honour of sitting half a mile forward of the morning’s position, Godfrey’s battalion had suffered heavy casualties. A total of 212 men were gone from the ranks of the 9th Suffolks. Lord Cavan had decided that enough was enough, his men would attack from where they already were on the 15th. There was nothing to do now but prepare and then wait it out until zero hour. More than half the Suffolks’ officers had become casualties during their attack, including Godfrey Gardner, who was killed in action while leading his men and buried where he fell. Lieutenant Gardner’s body, if recovered, was never identified and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier & Face 1c/2a.