Private John Frederick (Fred) Gardiner
This North Irish Horseman was born on 8 January 1897 at Butlersbridge, County Cavan, the fourth of ten children of sergeant in the Royal Irish Constabulary (later Petty Sessions clerk) John Gardiner and his wife Emily Frances Victoria Gardiner (née Gordon). At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Ballyconnell Town, County Cavan, with his parents and six of his siblings.
Gardiner enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 23 April 1915 (No.1502 – later Corps of Hussars No.71408). He gave his occupation as chauffeur. After training at the regiment's reserve depot at Antrim, on 22 September 1915 he embarked for France. There he was posted to A or D Squadron.
In May 1916 A and D Squadrons came together with E Squadron to form the 1st North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to VII, XIX, then V Corps until February-March 1918, when the regiment was dismounted and converted to a cyclist unit, serving as corps cyclists to V Corps until the end of the war. It is possible that Gardiner was attached to a Hussars regiment at the time the 1st NIH Regiment as dismounted.
On 26 February 1919 at Grottenherten in Germany, Gardiner re-enlisted, in the 8th (King's Royal Irish) Hussars (No.79099 – later Army number 533843). He returned to England the following month and on 18 November embarked for India. He remained there with his regiment until 7 February 1921. On 31 March 1921 he was discharged, his military character recorded as 'very good'.