217563 Lt. Reginald Scott Gardiner Australian Imperial Force 1st Australian Division from:Australia Reginald Scott Gardiner was born at Casterton, Victoria in 1893. A school teacher before enlisting as a private on 25th August 1914. Gardiner was made a clerk in the Divisional Headquarters, 1st Australian Division, and departed Melbourne on HMAT Orvieto on 22nd October 1914.
Gardiner went initially to Egypt, where he was promoted to corporal on 1st March 1915, and then to Gallipoli via Lemnos. He witnessed the landing at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915 from aboard one of the transport ships. Gardiner was promoted to sergeant on 24th July 1915 while serving at Gallipoli. He was transferred to Egypt on 2nd October 1915 re-joining his unit at Gallipoli on 18th October 1915. Gardiner departed Gallipoli as part of the evacuation and, on return to Egypt, was transferred to 4 Section Medical, AIF Headquarters on 22nd December 1915.
In June 1915 Gardiner was sent to England for officer training which resulted in his commission as a second lieutenant on 18th December 1916. He left for France on 16th January 1917 where he joined the 55th Infantry Battalion. According to his service record, Gardiner was "brought to notice of Secretary of State of War for valuable service rendered in connection with the war" on 24th February 1917. He was promoted to lieutenant on 22nd May 1917. While in the 55th Battalion, Gardiner served both as a signalling officer and an intelligence officer. He also spent time between 25th April and 2nd August 1918 attached to Headquarters, 14th Australian Infantry Brigade.
Gardiner left England to return to Australia on 25th February 1919. The medical history he provided on arrival in Australia indicated he was feeling fit despite the long war years during which he had suffered from influenza at Gallipoli in 1915 and was gassed in November 1917. He had not been hospitalised on either occasion. He left the Australian Imperial Force on 16th June 1919. Reginald Gardiner died on 14th November 1922.
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