Wilfred Douglas Goddard
Private 37980
“B” Company 8th Battalion Gloucestershire Regt.
Division 42
Wilfred Douglas Goddard was the youngest of six children; five boys and one girl. Two of his brothers assisted their father in the family butchery business, one brother was a mechanic according to the 1911 census. Wilfred is commemorated on the family grave number 8918 of the Reading Cemetery. His parents were James and Susannah Ellen Goddard of 10, Castle Street, Reading.
At one stage Wilfred was reported as missing, see caption on picture, but he died of wounds on 2nd May 1918, in Wevllghem Belgium and was buried at Harlebeke New British Cemetery XI. E.1 Wilfred Goddard was 20 years old. The exact circumstances of how he received his injuries are not known however, the Germans had begun their spring offensive and fighting was severe all along the front line. ‘Soldiers Died’ indicates that Wilfred had served with the Royal Berkshire Regiment as Private 33658.