GARDINER, Edwin Lincoln

DIVISIONAL UNIT          2nd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             4th Infantry Brigade
                                             4th Machine Gun Company
                                             Canadian Machine Gun Corps
SERVICE NO:                   288952
RESIDENCE:                    Brandon – Manitoba 
DATE OF BIRTH:            November 20, 1892
                                             Lincoln – Nebraska – U.S.A.
DATE OF DEATH:           November 6, 1917               24 years     11 months
MEMORIAL:                    Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial – Ypres –
                                             West Vlaanderen – Belgium
                                             Panel 32
PARENTS:                         Mr. and Mrs. James C. Gardiner – Kirkton – Ontario
Occupation:                        Car Checker –                      Religion:     Presbyterian
                                             Canadian Pacific Railway
Enlistment:                         Winnipeg – Manitoba – December 20, 1916 into 221st Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 24 years     1 month

Private Gardiner upon his arrival at Shorncliffe – Kent he was transferred to the 11 Reserve Battalion. On May 17, 1917 he was moved to te Canadian Machine Gun depot based at Crowborough - Sussex. At the end of 
October 1917, he went overseas into France and on November 5, 1917 he transferred to the 4th Canadian Machine Gun Company and joined them in the field on the very day he was to give his life in battle.
Private Gardiner was killed in action whilst performing his military duties in the vicinity of Passchendaele. He was part of a carrying party and had stopped to rest in a shell hole when an enemy shell exploded in the middle of the party and he was killed immediately.
A younger brother Earl also lost his life on the front in June of 1917.  A second brother was wounded at the front and was hospitalized but survived as did a third brother.
Zero hour was 6 am and the attack began with all 12 guns in the line working well. During the advance the Company had to deal with several enemy artillery barrages but all guns continued to work. The attack was successful and all objectives were taken.
During the advance movement was very difficult because of the depth of the mud in the field.
An ammunition carrying party of 12 ordinary ranks encountered heavy enemy shell fire while performing their duties and they suffered heavy casualties with 6 men being killed and 4 wounded.
This day happened to be the first day in the field for Private Gardner.