GARDNER, David James Lawson - 520

Original items held by the Army Museum of Western Australia

Pte David James Lawson Gardner

Conflict	Second Anglo-Boer War
Service Arm	Colonial Forces Australian Imperial Force
Unit	6th Mounted Infantry Contingent 44th Infantry Battalion
Service No.	520, 1822
Service Arm	Army
Date of Birth	1866
Birthplace	Perth, WA
Residence	Perth, WA; New Norcia, WA
Date of Death	30 Sep 1931
Relatives	Father - GARDNER, John - 1857, 1267, 245 Brother - GARDNER, John - 521 Wife - Ellen

James volunteered alongside his brother John and and they were both part of 6th Mounted Infantry Contingent. They embarked on the 'Ulstermore' on 10th April 1901 and arrived in Durban on 29th April 1901. They returned to Australia aboard 'SS Columbian' on 30th April 1902. Both men were issued the Queen's South African Medal with clasps for Transvaal, Orange Free State, South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. On 13 Apr 1916 he enlisted in the AIF and stated that he was 44 years of age in order to meet the enlistment criteria. He was really 50 years of age. While training in England, his true age was discovered and he was discharged on grounds of "senility" and returned to Perth.