Garth was educated at Wrekin College in Shropshire, from 1929-1932, following which he joined the Merchant Navy.
His career prior to the outbreak of war had taken him across the world’s oceans to South America, Australia and New Zealand.
An oil tanker of 8,470 tons, the MV British Security was built in 1941 by Harland & Wolff Ltd. On the 20th of May 1941, as part of Convoy HX-126 carrying a cargo of 11,200 tons of benzine and kerosene, she was torpedoed by submarine U-556 and sunk south of Cape Farewell. The master, forty-eight crew members and four gunners were lost on Tuesday the 20th of May 1941.
Garth was aged 25 and is commemorated on the Merchant Navy Memorial, Tower Hill, London.
He was the youngest son of Professor Billington & Dr Winifred M Billington of Birmingham, Warwickshire.
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