Current Information:

Born-Bedford

Enlisted-London

On 20th December, 1914, 1 Brigade of 1st Division undertook a twenty mile march from Strazeele to Bethune in France on their way to reinforce the India Corps which, on the previous day, had been heavily attacked from Cuinchy to the cross roads south of Neuve Chapelle. North and south of Givenchy trenches had been lost while on the front east of Festubert a 300 yard breech had been made in the line by the enemy.  The next day they marched to Givenchy and Cuinchy and at 3pm, 1st Coldstream Guards and 1st Cameron Highlanders attacked Rue d’Ouvert. 1st Scots Guards were in support and 14th London were in reserve along with 1st Black Watch. German shelling caused a few casualties while crossing Pont Fixe and there was also rifle and machine-gun fire from the flanks to contend with. Fortunately a heavy hailstorm which blew into the enemy’s face, coincided with the initial attack and this restricted casualties and helped the men of 1st Coldstream Guards to occupy old French trenches on the reverse of a slope. At 5.45am on 22nd December, three companies of 1st Coldstream Guards captured the German trenches along the road leading from Givenchy to Chapelle St Roch but without flanking support they were bombed out by 8am with 50% casualties. After this the firing died down for the rest of the day allowing the positions in Givenchy to be consolidated. Among the casualties suffered by 1st Coldstream Guards during this operation was Bertram Garwood.