Other Information:Geoffrey was educated in Plymouth College, and the London Hospital. He passed the Matriculation Examination of the University in September 1903, after which he went on to study medicine, qualifying in 1909. He then held a House-Surgeoncy at the Newark Hospital for nearly two years, when his health failed him. After recovering he obtained a Ship-Surgeoncy on the S.S. “Herefordshire” of the Bibby Line, and made two voyages to Rangoon. He then gained an appointment under the Essex County Council, which he stayed at until December 1914, when he offered his services to the Army, and gained a commission, at the rank of lieutenant in the R.A.M.C. on December 18th. Geoffrey was attached to the 10th Royal Warwickshire Regiment as their Medical Officer. He gained promotion to Captain after one years service. He was killed near La Boisselle. At the time of his death he was tending to a wounded man, when a piece of shrapnel passed through his chest.
After his death, Capt T I Bennett, R.A.M.C. wrote to The London Hospital Gazette:- “Sir. May I, an old Guy's man, write a few lines in your paper, concerning my friend, the late captain G. R. Heard, who was killed at the taking of La Boisselle early this month. For nineteen months Captain Heard had been serving as Medical Officer to a Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, for the last year being with them at the Western Front. During the greater part of that time it was my good fortune to be, as Medical Officer to another Battalion in the same brigade, closely associated with him, and his great qualities will not be forgotten by me or any of his comrades. On many occasion Captain Heard, in his devotion to his duty, has faced risk which a less disinterested man would have avoided, and his personal bravery was equalled by his constant good fellowship which endeared him to all who met him him. The risks he ran were never the result of recklessness, but I have often known him volunteer for dangerous enterprises where his steadiness and skill were of the utmost value. Particularly I recall an occasion when he came, as a volunteer, to assist me during a raid by my own Regiment; it was a service quite apart from his ordinary duties, and it enabled me to return all my wounded in record time, well dressed, to the ambulance. On many other occasions, often in greater danger, he behaved with equal gallantry; on the day when be was killed he was working with another Guy's man, Captain C. W . John, R.A.M.C., who had succeeded me with my Regiment. Together they had established an Aid Post in our Fire-Trench, and Heard was tending a man at a short distance away when he was struck in the back by shrapnel. The wound had perforated one lung, and, although Captain John was able to revive him for a short time, he again became unconscious, and died that night at the ambulance. I knew few men who had done as much front line service as Captain Heard, I know of none who have served with greater gallantry, and I am glad of the long friendship between Guy’s and the London Hospitals which enables me to write this tribute to him.”
Geoffrey was the elder son of Richard William and Annie Louisa Heard of 7 Osborne Villas, Devonport.
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