William Garrett was born in Warminster, Wiltshire, on 18th October 1880. The fourth of seven children, he was the fourth son to Henry and Mary Garrett. Henry was a groom, and the family lived at 80 Portway, a Victorian villa to the north of the town centre.

The 1901 census records the family having moved from No. 80. The document notes their address as 14 Portway and with this move, there appears to have been a change of circumstances. At some point in the previous ten years, Henry had given up working with horses, and had gone into baking instead. This too had taken a back seat, however, as the census confirms his employment as former baker. William, now 21 years of age, was still living with his parents, and was working as a printer for a local newspaper.

On 5th August 1905, William married Kate Macey. A labourer’s daughter from Bishopstrow, Wiltshire, the couple exchanged vows in her parish church. They settled in a house on Deverill Road, Warminster, and went on to have five children,

When war broke out, William would eventually be called upon to play his part. “He was previously employed at the ‘Warminster Journal’ office as monotype caster and operator, and served his apprenticeship at the office. It was very largely through his services that the ‘Journal’ was forced to suspend publication and though he might have obtained further exemption from military service, he preferred to leave civil employment and enter into the service of his country” [Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser: Saturday 25th May 1918]

William enlisted in the Army Service Corps on 1st May 1918. As a Private, was attached to the Mechanical Transport Depot in Sydenham, Kent. His service records show that he was 5ft 3ins (1.59m) tall and weighed 126lbs (57.2kg). His medical records note that he was of good physical development.

The newspaper report continued:

[Private Garrett] left Warminster only a week or two ago and was billeted at Sydenham, being apparently in the best of health and spirits. On Tuesday his wife… received the following telegram from an officer: “I regret to have to inform you your husband died suddenly in his billet around 1:30pm today. All ranks convey deepest sympathy.”

The distressing news was confirmed by a letter from a comrade, Pte. Manley, who is a native of Taunton. He wrote “It is with extreme sorrow I write this letter to you. Your husband and I arrived here the same day and he slept in my room with two others – very nice fellows. We all send you our heartfelt sympathy in your sorrow. He spoke to me today about 1.10pm and then fell forward. I and others did everything possible for him but he was beyond human aid from the start. He only lived about two minutes and suffered no pain. We all liked him very much in our bedroom and indeed in the billet. I am sure he would have proved a credit to the ASC.”

[William] was a member of the Oddfellows Society and filled all the local lodge offices, and was also a member of the committee of the Co-operative Society. He belonged to the Warminster Volunteer Training Corps, and jus as he left to join the regular army he was about to be promoted.

[Wiltshire Times and Trowbridge Advertiser: Saturday 25th May 1918]

The inquest into Private Garrett’s death found he had died of natural causes. He was 37 years of age when he passed away on 21st May 1918. He had been in the army for just 20 days.

The body of William Garrett was taken back to Wiltshire for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of Christ Church, Warminster.

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