William Albert Goddard
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
William Albert Goddard was born in 1880 at St Ann's, Nottingham. He was the son of Thomas Goddard and the brother of Ernest; the family lived at 5 Sherwood Street Nottingham.
William married Florence Emily O'Sullivan in Petersfield, Sussex in 1910. Their son Thomas William Alleyne was born on 10 May 1911.
At the time of the 1911 Census William (31), an engine fitter, 8th Railway Company, Royal Engineers, was living with his wife in barracks at Longmoor Camp, East Liss, Hampshire.
The CWGC record gives his widow's address as 94 Peckham Road, Peckham, London.
Willam Albert Goddard enlisted in Nottingham and served with the 15th Field Coy. Royal Engineers. In 1911 he was based at Longmoor Camp, Hampshire. By the time of his death in 1915 he had served in the Army for 16 years.
He was killed in action on 25 September 1915 and was buried in Y Farm Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France (grave ref. G17).
He qualified for the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
CWGC history of Y Farm Cemetery (extract): the village of Bois-Grenier is about 4km from the town of Armentieres. 'The cemetery was named after a nearby farm, called by the Army "Y" (or Wye) Farm. It was begun in March 1915 and used by units holding this sector until February 1918. At the Armistice it contained 335 burials, but it was then increased when graves were brought in from the battlefields south of Armentieres and from the following cemeteries [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
His brother Private Ernest Goddard, 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment, was killed in action on 5 February 1915. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
CWGC Addtional information: Son of Thomas Goddard, of Nottingham; husband of F. E. Goddard, of 94, Peckham Rd., Peckham, London.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: 'Gone but not forgotten'
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 19 October 1915: 'Goddard. Killed in action September 25th Sergeant WA Goddard, Royal Engineers, age 35; also brother Ernest, killed in action February 5th. Sherwood Street Nottingham. Mother.'
Nottingham Evening Post, ‘In Memoriam’, 25 September 1916: ‘Goddard. Killed in action, September 25th, 1915, Sergt. WA Goddard, 16 years in the Royal Engineers, aged 35. Also brother Ernest, killed in action February 5th, of Sherwood-street, Nottingham. Ever in my thoughts. Mother.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)
Sergeant Goddard's widow was awarded a penson of 16 shillings a week commencing 10th April 1916 and rising to 33 shillings and 10 pence a week by 9th July 1918.
Photo of William Albert Goddard
Y Farm military cemetery, Bois Grenier France (www.cwgc.org)