The 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, 39-45 War Medal, New Zealand War Service Medal and NZ Territorial Service Medal group of six awarded to Herbert George Garratt, who was wounded on Gallipoli, subsequently having a leg amputated. He later was a founder member of the Wellington Gallipoli Association and a member of the War Amputee Association.

 

Herbert Garratt was born 24th May 1893 at Wellington, New Zealand. Son of Thomas Ashton and Henrietta Garratt (née McGregor). At the time of his enlistment in the NZEF in August 1914 Herbert was working on his father's property at Taihape (his father was also the local chemist). He had previous territorial service with 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles, and it was into this squadron that he posted on enlistment. He sailed with the Main Body NZEF in October, and landed on Gallipoli in mid-May 1915.  On 9th August, during the Battle of Chunuk Bair, Garratt suffered gunshot wounds to his left ankle and left arm. He described the events of the day to a newspaper reporter in January 1916: "He had a trying time of it that day, as shortly after he was wounded bullets fell all round him, one going through the leg of his trousers and another through the fleshy part of his arm. This happened on Hill 971, and he realised that unless he managed to get under cover he would not have much chance. Crawling on his hands and knees he managed to get over the side of the hill. While in the act of doing this he met a “Tommy” and they entered into conversation, and, as they were exchanging experiences, a bullet struck and killed the Britisher. Two men carried Trooper Garratt down to the landing, a couple of miles away, and he boarded one of the transports, the last for three days. In this he was lucky, as many wounded were left lying in the blazing sun for three days, owung to no transports being available." (Taihape Daily Times 7/1/1916)

 

From Egypt, Garratt was evacuated back to New Zealand in late 1915 on the hospital ship Maheno. He was treated for his ankle wound at Wellington Hospital, which necessitated the amputation of his foot. With treatment becoming complicated, Garratt was returned to England in October 1916, and admitted to No. 1 NZ General Hospital at Brockenhurst.  Further complications resulted in the amputation of his leg just above the knee, in May 1917. Garratt returned to New Zealand, and was finally discharged in March 1919.

 

After the war Garratt became an optical technician, and during the Second World War he served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force in instrument maintenance. He was issued the Territorial Service Medal in 1941 (AO 1941/206 refers). After the Second World War Garratt was active in the NZ War Amputee Association (he is back left in the attached photo) and was a founder member of the Wellington Gallipoli Veterans Association. 

 

All medals are correctly impressed. Trio named 13/350 TPR. H.G. GARRATT. N.Z.E.F. and the TSM is correctly impressed PTE  H.G. GARRATT, LATE N.Z.E.F.

This lot also comes with Garratt's correctly impressed Gallipoli Lapel Badge and an officially named original photo of the Wellington Gallipoli Veteran's Association.

 

 

 

 

Service File held at Archives New Zealand