Category Archives: St. Batholomew’s Church

George William Goddard and Edwin Harry Goddard

December 3, 2013Army, Commemorated name/s, Other Regiments, Royal Berkshire Regiment, Somme, St. Batholomew's Churchadmin

George William Goddard
Corporal 200475
2^nd Royal Berkshire Regiment

Edwin Harry Goddard
Private 42709
9^th Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

Division 74
Extension

George William Goddard and Edwin Harry Goddard were the sons of Mr George and Mrs Emma Ann Goddard, of 32, Coventry Road, Reading. They were the eldest sons of seven children. According to the 1911 census George William was a gardener like his father and Edwin a bakers assistant. The brothers are remembered on the St. Bartholomew’s Church war memorial and on their sister’s grave.

War records are not available for the brothers. George served with the 8^th Division and Edwin with the 36^th (Ulster) Division. These divisions fought in the following battles: Battle of St. Quentin. 21-23 Mar 1918. Actions of the Somme crossings. 24-25 Mar 1918. Battle of Rosieres. 26-27 Mar 1918. Both men were killed within seven days of each other at the start of the German Spring Offensive in 1918. On the 21^st March the Germans broke through on a fifty-mile front between the Sensée and Oise rivers. Various British battle positions were penetrated, especially near St. Quentin.

George William Goddard was reported wounded and missing on 22^nd March, he was 25. On this day British defences west of St. Quentin were broken through and a hasty retreat was ordered. The Germans took 16,000 prisoners and 200 guns. The body of George Goddard was eventually identified and he was buried in Pargny British Cemetery, Somme. Location II.E.13. Pargny Cemetery was made after the Armistice, by concentrating graves from the surrounding battlefields. More than three-quarters of the burials in this cemetery of over 600 graves are unidentified.

The German advance continued with a vengeance. There was much fierce fighting as the British resisted at the Somme crossings. By the 24^th March the Germans were boasting the taking of 30.000 prisoners and 600 guns. So fast was the advance of the Germans that by the 26^th March the British had lost the town of Albert, the Germans were only 12 kilometres from Amiens by the following day. Further fighting continued with the French launching counter attacks. However, by the 29^th March the Germans were claiming to have captured 70,000 prisoners and 1100 guns since the start of the offensive.

On the 29^th March Edwin Harry Goddard was reported missing. Edwin’s body was never identified and he is remembered on the Pozieres Memorial, Panel 38 to 40.

The British were shaken and on 11^th April Haig issued a ‘Special Order’ to all ranks which included the now famous words,

“There is no course open to us but to fight it out. Every position must be held to the last man: there must be no retirement. With our backs to the wall and believing in the justice of our cause we must fight to the end”.

Herbert Charles Davies and Arthur S Davies

November 27, 2013Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Graves, St. Batholomew's Churchadmin

Herbert Charles Davies
Rifleman 40925
2^nd Battalion The Rifle Brigade

Bombardier Arthur S. Davies
2^nd/1^st Battalion Berkshire Royal Horse Artillery

Division 79
Extension

Herbert Charles Davies and Arthur S. Davies were the sons of Mary Davies and late Evan Davies of 122. Cumberland Road, Reading. The whole family are buried in Division 79. Grave 16550 of the Reading Cemetery. The grave is actually registered as a war grave but at the start of this research did not bear the distinctive war pattern headstone. The CWGC placed a war pattern headstone on the grave when Herbert’s name became indistinct and he was not appropriately commemorated on the family grave. Herbert’s name is the one registered with the CWGC. He is also commemorated on the St. Bartholomew’s memorial.

Herbert died 4^th December 1918 Aged 19. The inscription on the grave states that he was a repatriated prisoner of war. It has not been possible to locate a picture of Herbert Davies.

It has also been difficult to trace information about Arthur Davies because his service details are not registered with the CWGC. However, The Standard of July 26^th 1917 Pg. 5 carried an article:

Missing, Feared Loss of Memory

Mr A.S. Davies formerly of the Berks. R.H.A., of 122 Cumberland Rd. Reading has been missing from his home since Thursday in last week. He had been badly wounded in the head, and it is feared that he is suffering form loss of memory. He was wearing brown trousers and a light grey cap and coat, also an grey shirt, socks and boots. He has very heavy eyebrows, which meet across the bridge of his nose. His height is about 5ft 8inches.

A picture, published in the Chronicle 28^th September 1917carries the caption “wounded in both legs, one arm and head”. Arthur Davies obviously suffered for some time. The inscription on the grave indicates that he died on July 17^th 1919, aged 24.

“Another victim of the war”.