Died: 24th October 1897 at Bothwell, buried Bothwell Park Cemetery.
Location of VC: Not publicly held.
Citation: For his conspicuous and gallant conduct on the morning of 5th May in having saved the life of Lt Col Cameron, his commanding officer, who during his action of Bareilly on that day had been knocked from his horse when three fanatics rushed upon him. CS Gardner ran out and in a moment bayoneted two of them and was in the act of attacking the third when he was shot down by another soldier of the regiment.
Historical Background: At Bareilly the 42nd were on the left flank when Mohammedan Cavalry attacked them called Ghazis.
There were about 150 of them screaming "Bismillah, Allah, Deen, Deen". They had swords called tulwars and kept their heads low behind shields as they chased Sikh skirmishers who had broken the ranks of the 42nd as they ran back through the Regiment. Sir Colin Campbell ordered ranks to be closed and bayonets used as the Ghazis came. Three dashed at Col. Alexander Cameron and pulled him off his horse. He would have been hacked to death had Sgt Gardner not killed two of them and Private Gavin the third.
There was a brief albeit severe and bloody sword and bayonet fight with the Ghazis coming within ten yards of the guns before the last of them was killed.
Sir Colin Campbell called this attack "The most determined effort he had seen during the war".
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