Garrard Byrne was born in Crookwell New South Wales on 13 May 1889, one of two children to Peter Byrne and Elizabeth Atkins.

A dentist, he enlisted at Liverpool New South Wales on 22 June 1915, giving his mother’s address as Ramsay Road (sic) Haberfiel.

As part of the 4th Battalion, he left Sydney aboard HMAT Argyllshire on 30 September.

On 18 February 1916, he transferred to the 2nd Field Ambulance in Tel-el-kebir before embarking for Marseilles on 23 March.

He was attached to the No 3 Dental Corps on 6 September and on 16 December was promoted to Staff Sergeant Dental Mechanic and attached to the Field Ambulance AIF list.

Garrard continued in various Field Ambulance units until 11 May 1917 when he attended Cadet School in Cambridge England.

He returned to France and was detached to the Canadian Tunnelling Company on 16 March 1918. Re-joining his unit on 6 April, he was promoted to Lieutenant on 10 May.

On 29 June Garrard suffered shrapnel wounds to his abdomen, also recorded as gunshot wounds. He was invalided to England on 2 July.

Garrard returned to Australia aboard HMAT Karoola on 13 December, disembarking in Australia on 31 January 1919. His appointment was terminated on 22 December 1918.

He was subject to a Court Martial on 6 June 1918, charged with having been drunk on duty in the front line on 28 April 1918. A second charge referred to drunkenness in the support line on 4 May. Following presentations to the Court by other soldiers, he was found not guilty on both charges.

Garrard enlisted in Paddington NSW during World War Two on 30 April 1940, serving at the Royal Agricultural Society Showgrounds in Sydney. At the time of enlistment, he was living at 124 Dalhousie Street Haberfield.

He was admitted to Prince Henry Hospital on 6 January 1941 suffering from intestinal pains and was discharged on 22 January. Garrard was re-admitted on 14 February.

Garrard died as a result of haematemesis on 21 February 1941 and was laid to rest at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney.