3/7917 Private [Arthur] John GARROD, 2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment

“John Garrod” is recorded on the Bramford School Roll of Honour.
“J Garrod” appears twice on the British Legion Roll. An older brother of Fred, Frank and Charles, “John” was born in 1892 as Arthur John Garrod. He probably went by “John” as there was another Arthur Garrod in the village. According to the newspaper report in 1915 he had been a reservist in the 3rd Suffolk. The same report stated that he had “…been in France with the 2nd Battalion Suffolk Regiment since the outbreak of hostilities”.
No service records have survived but there is a Medal Index Card for a man of this name who was No 3/7917. (The leading “3” indicating that he was a 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion man). Before the war broke out Special Reserve Battalions provided a form of part-time military service. It was introduced in 1908 as a means of building up a pool of trained reservists in addition to those of the regular Army Reserve. Special Reservists enlisted for 6 years and had to accept the possibility of being called up in the event of a general mobilisation and to undergo all the same conditions as men of the Army Reserve.
The man on this card had entered the war zone on 2nd September 1914 which fits with the newspaper report. The 2nd Suffolk had taken part in the rear-guard action against the German advance at the Battle of Le Cateau (26th August to 1st September 1914). The 2nd Suffolk had suffered badly losing around 720 men killed, wounded or captured – including Johns brother Charles. This “J Garrod” was part of the draft sent to reinforce the severely depleted battalion. The card also tells us that this man was discharged on 6th November 1915. The British War Medal and Victory Medal records have 3/7917 Arthur John Garrod serving with the 2nd Suffolk and then later as No 34836 with 11th Suffolk, 7th Suffolk & 15th Suffolk.
His 1914 Star medal record has 3/7917 J Garrod who disembarked on 2nd September 1914 but was discharged on 6th November 1915. Listed “wounded” in WO Report dated 20/12/1916 – as 34836 “A” Garrod and entitlement to “Wound stripe” in War Office List of 17/10/1918 as 34836 “J” Garrod.
It seems that the date on the MIC given for his discharge was incorrect.
The 1939 Register has Arthur J Garrod living at Parish Pond with his family. He was born on 26th October 1892 and working as a labourer at the sugar beet factory in Sproughton. He had married Ethel Norman in 1919.
Our John Garrod died on 3rd May 1941 aged only 48.