Telling life of hero who loved danger

[Kyt]

Telling life of hero who loved danger (From The Northern Echo)

THE heroism of a North-East soldier killed in action nine days before the end of the Second World War will be remembered in a new book.

And the author has made an appeal for family members or descendants to get in touch, so that he can complete his story with more background and photographs.

Lance Corporal Rowland Hubert Garner, who hailed from Hebburn – then in County Durham, now in South Tyneside – was described by one historian as a man “with no sense of fear whatsoever and a genuine love of danger”.

Serving with the 11th Hussars (Prince Albert’s Own Royal Armoured Corps), he was the last soldier to be killed in the field with the regiment, when he died on April 25, 1945.

L Cpl Garner was captured on July 27, 1940, while on patrol observing enemy troop movements along the Tobruk- Bardia road, in North Africa.

He spent four-and-a-half years as a prisoner, before escaping in Italy.

He immediately rejoined his regiment on the River Maas, winning the Distinguished Conduct Medal during the advance on the Rhine.

Former soldier David Eason, who is writing the Roll of Honour for 161 11th Hussars who never came back from the war, said: “During the advance, L Cpl Garner drove his armoured car straight into a group of German infantry at a road block. He was fired at by two Germans with bazookas at a range of only ten yards, but both missed.

“During the confusion, he drove into a ditch and both crewmen managed to escape.”

Later, on April 25, 1945, his troop was 1,000 yards west of Bargstedt looking for clear routes into the town when they engaged enemy infantry dug-in among trees with small arms, Spandau machine guns and bazookas.

According to the regimental diary: “L Cpl Garner took his Dingo armoured car down a narrow track in an attempt to the right flank to try to get behind them. This he did and engaged them at very close range with machine guns and grenades, killing three of them. While changing the machine gun magazine he was wounded by a Spandau bullet.”

His driver got him to the doctor, but it was too late.

L Cpl Garner was the son of Oscar Arthur and Sallie Prescott (nee Major) Garner, and husband of Ellen Garner.

Mr Eason said he had managed to trace L Cpl Garner’s son, John, in Shropshire, but he had little knowledge of his father’s side of the family.

Anyone able to help can contact Mr Eason email davidjohnDOTeasonATyahooDOTcoDOTuk