Biography of Lance Corporal Eric John Garwood (18042)
6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment
Died 3rd August 1916

Mother

• Name: Annie Wade
• DOB: 1858
• Place Of Birth: Thurlby, Lincolnshire, England
• Marriage: 1883 Bourne District

Relatives in services

• Eric’s cousin George Inkley also fought and were killed in WW1. George can be found on our page dedicated to the Thurlby War Memorial.

Marriage

• No marriage for Eric has been found and because of his age we can assume that he never had the opportunity to marry.

Newspaper Mentions

• Grantham Jourial Saturday 5th August 1916
  GARWWOD – On August 3rd, 1916, at Woolton Military Hospital, Liverpool, Lance-Corpl.  Eric John Garwood, of the Lincolnshire Regiment, the dearly loved and only son of the late Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Garwood, Thurlby, died after enteric fever, contracted in Gallipoli, aged 25 years.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 5 August 1916
  THURLBY
  THE DISTRESSING NEWS, received on Thursday afternoon, that Lance-Corpl Eric John Garwood, of the Lincolns, had died at the Military Hospital, Woolton Park, near Liverpool,  cast quite a gloom over the village.  Born in 1891, and educated at the Council Schools, Thurlby, and the Technical Institute at Grantham, he succeeded to the ownership management of his father’s farm three years ago.  When Lieut. West, with his pipers’ band, toured the Stamford Division in May, 1915, he at once left his farm in his uncle’s hands and joined up with the Lincolns.  He was only in training eight weeks when he came home for his last leave, and was drafted out to the Gallipli Peninsula.  He had been a member  of the V.T.C., was a crack shot, and an expert bayonetter, and his pals hoped great things for him, but, unfortunately, he was only in the trenches ten days before he fell of enteric fever.  Hurried back to Malta, he lay for nearly six months between life and death in St. Andrew’s Hospital.  He rallied sufficiently to be brought home and was drafted to Mill-road Infirmary, Liverpool.  His friend had great hopes that his strong, vigorous constitution would pull him through, and, though he wrote most hopefully of his return home in time for harvest, he never really got rid of the dread enteric.  His foot, which had suffered from blood poisoning, would not heal, and he worried a good deal about being kept in hospital sp long.  The end came at last quite suddenly.  His uncle Mr. Tom Sneath has gone to Liverpool to make arrangements for (Saturday) afternoon, in the Wesleyan Church.  Bright, cheerful, and full of spirits, he was loved by all who knew him, and he will be sorely missed.  Hw was a keen sportman.  He was an ardent Good Temnlar, and connected with the Wesleyan Church.  As a farmer he was in the front rank, and was indeed, a typical Lincolnshire Yeoman.  May he rest in peace.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 12th August 1916
  Lce.-Corpl. E. J. Garwood. of Thurlby
  As announced in our columns last week, Lce.-Corpl. E. J. Garwood, of Thurlby, died in hospital in Liverpool, and was buried at his native place last Saturday.  He joined the Lincolnshire Regiment in May, 1915, and was sent out to the Gallipoli Peninsula, after eight weeks’ training.  He was only in the trenches ten days, when he contracted enteric fever, and was quickly removed to Malta, and subsequently sent to Liverpool, where he died.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 23 September 1916
  THURLBY, near BOURNE
  To be SOLD by AUCTION, by MESSRS. SAUL.
  Upon the Premises lately occupied by Mr. Eric Garwood, deceased, at Thurlby aforesaid (about one minute’s walk from the Railway Station), on Friday, 29th September, 1916, the useful
  HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and other Effects.
  Full particulars in Bills, which can be obtained of the Auctioneers, Bourne.
  Sale at ONE o’clock
• THURLBY, near BOURNE
  MESSRS. SAUL
  Are insturucted by the Trustees of the late MR. Eric Garwood, to SELL by AUCTION, on the Premises adjoining Thurlby Station, on Friday, 6th October, 1916, the Valuable Live and Dead FARM STOCK, consisting of-
  7 HORSES (two Shire Mares).
  17 CATTLE.
  40 SHEEP.
  And the FARM IMPLEMENTS.
  Sale at ONE o’clock.

• Grantham Journal Saturday 12th May 1917
  THE SAD NEWS came through from a B.E.F. Chaplain, on Monday, that Pte. George Inkley was killed in action on the 2nd May, and that, along with his brave comrades who fell at the same time, he was buried within our lines.  Pte. Geo. Inkley was the eldest of three brothers, all now in his Majesty’s Army.  He joined the Lincolnshire Regiment nearly two years ago, and had been abroad since June, 1916.  In disposition, he was a quite, studious lad, and much esteemed.  Previous to enlistment, he was in the employ of Messrs. J. E. Noble and Son, boring contractors, Thurlby.  The greatest sympathy is felt with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Inkley, of High street.  Two of his cousins have already “gone west” in the great conflict, viz., Lance-Corpl. E. J. Garwood and Signaller John Wade, wireless operator on one of H.M. ships, sunk during April.  He was the last man to leave his ship, and was seen to jump off the rigging into the sea as the vessel took the final plunge.

Military Records

Medals

• The British Medal
  The Victory Medal
  The 15 Star

Memorials

• UK:
• Thurlby, Roll of Honour in St Firmins Church

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
• In memory of Lance Corporal Eric John Garwood, 18042, 6th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 3 August 1916 Age 25
• Son of William Edis Garwood and Annie Wade Garwood. Born at Thurlby, Bourne.
• Remembered with honour, Thurlby (or Thurlby-By-Bourne) (St. Firmin) Churchyard

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

• This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

• WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• British Newspaper Archive.