Robert Oswald Gardner
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Robert Oswald Roberts, born in 1883 Workington, Cumberland had Robert (a secretary to a steel company) and Fanny Roberts, née Shaw for parents. He had two sisters, Annie Hilda and Frances. In 1891 they were living in Willesdon, Middlesex and in 1901, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, Wales where Robert Oswald was employed as a engineering apprentice. He met and married Beatrice Amy Sergeant in 1909 and had two children, Annie Hilda Joan Gardner born and in 1912 son Robert Oswald Guy Gardner. The 1911 census place Robert Senior living in Arnald and Robert Junior and family in Askern, Doncaster, On August 7th 1913, Llay Main Collieries Ltd was formed with Capt. R.O.Gardner as its first manager. Robert had qualified as a colliery manager in South Wales in 1907 and this was endorsed by qualification as 'surveyor of mines' on the 26th September 1913. He lived in rooms at Home Farm on the Gresford Road with his wife and children. In 1914 the sinking of the first shaft began. A thick layer of sand and gravel near the surface hampered progress. The solution was to freeze this unstable mass and to then cut through the now solid soil, placing circular steel collars to prevent the unfrozen sand from collapsing inward. In July 1914 this specialised task was given to a German firm with experience in such matters, the Rheinisch West Falische company. Not long afterwards the invasion of Belgium by German forces led to the declaration of war by Britain on August 4th. Unfortunately for the development of the pit, the contract with the German freezing experts was terminated and the colliery manager joined his comrades in B Company of the 3rd Battalion, the Monmouthshire Regiment.By Vic Tyler-Jones, President, Llai Local History Society., Wrexham, North Wales
“Robert Oswald Gardner to Second Lieutenant 1st May 1908” London Gazette 21 Aug 1908The French and Belgian channel ports were an important German military objective and the Belgian town of Ypres became the key to achieving this. Over the next four years four separate battles would be needed to secure its posi-tion for the allies. On the 10th August 1914 the 3rd Battalion of the Monmouthshires moved to camp at Oswestry, perhaps it was here that Capt. Gardner joined them. After training at Northampton they landed in France on the 14th February 1915 and by 3rd March they were assigned to the 83rd Brigade of the 28th Division, one of the two British Divisions and one Canadian Division holding the front line around Ypres. On 22nd April three miles away, gas was used by the Germans against French Colonial troops at Langemark. It was the first time this terrible weapon hade been deployed, and both sides were unprepared for the devastation it caused. Luckily the Germans failed to capitalise on an open route to Ypres. More gas attacks followed, this time against the Canadians. At this time there was no personal protection against the yellowy green clouds of chlorine that could be seen and sniffed daily. The 3rd Monmouths were made ready to move up in support as a constant stream of wounded and coughing Canadian soldiers passed through the lines. May 8th-13th 1915 The Battle of Frezenberg (2nd Battle of Ypres)By the 7th May the Germans were only 2 miles from Ypres and on the 8th May Capt Gardner's B company joined the front line at Frezenberg, east of the town. This coincided with a ferocious assault by the Germans and during this Capt. Gardner was killed. The regimental history records that :- 'Both battalions were virtually annihilated... but they had put up a splendid fight and B Company of the 3rd Battalion earned special distinction by holding on in the front line...although quite isolated, the troops on both flanks having been driven back. Its stand has been picked out by the Official History of the War as 'among the historic episodes of the War'. Captain Gardner is buried at Oostaverne Wood Cemetery about 3 miles south of Ypres. Captain Gardner's wife Amy subsequently moved with their three children to The Vadoc on Gresford Road in Llay. In Memoriam - Robert Oswald GardnerA plaque in St.George's Memorial Chapel in Ypres commemorates the 13 officers and 335 other ranks of the Mon-mouthshires who fell in the second battle of Ypres. On the Frezenberg Ridge, east of Ypres there is a limestone memorial to the 1st Monmouthshire Regiment commemorating the officers and men who were killed on the 8th May.
CWG additional information:- Son of Robert and Fanny Gardner; husband of Amy Ashworth (formerly Gardner), of Vadoc, Llay, Denbighshire.
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