Current Information:

Age-20

2, Downe's Place, Peckham

Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-l'Avoue

When the war broke out in August, 1914 the 2nd Leicestershire battalion was in India as part of the 20th (Garhwal) Infantry Brigade, 7th (Meerut) Division of the Indian Army which straight away, was despatched to Europe. The division landed at Marseilles on 12th October and began to move north to the trenches. They reached Lillers on 28th October and on the next day 2nd Leicestershire marched to Calonne where they relieved the 3rd Worcesters in the front line trenches there. Over the last two days of the month and through into November, they remained here under often heavy shell fire and with enemy snipers constantly active. William Gardiner died from wounds on 20th November but the exact day on which he was wounded is not known.