Corporal Reuben Garlick, 'A' troop, died during operations at Rots and Le Hamel, France. Son of William George and Ellen Garlick, of Daglingworth, Gloucestershire.

 "We came to a large cornfield my orders, being in charge of the 2 inch mortar, is to range on the hedgerow so that any Jerries who could be in this cover will keep their heads down while the troops move through the cornfield. The first bombs I fire are smoke and things are running smoothly. Unfortunately when our lads move out of the cornfields the Germans open up with machine guns and mortars causing casualties. I manage to fire some more smoke bombs but realise I have started too late. As I look along the hedge I see Marine Reuben Garlick (Curly), Sgt James Smith, Sgt George Rowe and several others of our troop all laid down and in a firing position, motionless, all dead! Later I crawl out to see if Curly is still alive but he has been shot through the eye, I can see he and the others have gone from us." 

 

​Reuben Garlick left school in Daglingworth, Gloucestershire, aged 14, and worked as an errand boy travelling between villages. He was known by others in the village as Ben or Benny. Son of William, a stonemason, and Ellen, he had a brother Charles who survived the war.