Sidney Frank Godley
Private, 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
- Register No.
- 456 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers all Royal Fusiliers VCs →
- Date of action
- 23 August 1914 on this day → all of 1914 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 25th November, 1914 on this day → all of 1914 →
- Born
- 14th August, 1889 at East Grinstead, Sussex
- Died
- 29th June 1957 at Epping, Essex
- Memorial / grave
- at Loughton Cemetery, Loughton, and on plaque on Nimy Bridge, Mons
Digest of citation
On 23rd August 1914 at Mons, Belgium, Private Godley took over a machine gun on Nimy Bridge when the Lieutenant * in charge of the section had been mortally wounded. Private Godley held the enemy from the bridge single handed for two hours under very heavy fire and was wounded twice. His gallant action covered the retreat of his comrades, but he was eventually taken prisoner. His final act and was to destroy the gun and throw the pieces into the canal
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
GODLEY, Sidney Frank. (reg No. 456).
Private. 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
London Gazetted on 25th November, 1914.
Born on 14th August, 1889 at East Grinstead, Sussex.
Died on 29th June 1957 at Epping, Essex.
Memorial on grave at Loughton Cemetery, Loughton, and on plaque on Nimy Bridge, Mons.
Digest of Citation reads: On 23rd August 1914 at Mons, Belgium, Private Godley took over a machine gun on Nimy Bridge when the Lieutenant * in charge of the section had been mortally wounded. Private Godley held the enemy from the bridge single handed for two hours under very heavy fire and was wounded twice. His gallant action covered the retreat of his comrades, but he was eventually taken prisoner. His final act and was to destroy the gun and throw the pieces into the canal.
* M.J.Dease. (reg No. 320)
Additional information: . He was the first private, in the European War (WW I ) to be awarded the Victoria Cross. In 1938 Sidney Godley was presented with a gold medal specially struck by the people of Mons, Belgium. It is believed that Private Godley was the soldier on whom Bruce Bairnsfather based his creation,"Old Bill," the famous 'Great War' cartoon character.
Additional information
He was the first private, in the European War (WW I ) to be awarded the Victoria Cross. In 1938 Sidney Godley was presented with a gold medal specially struck by the people of Mons, Belgium. It is believed that Private Godley was the soldier on whom Bruce Bairnsfather based his creation,"Old Bill," the famous 'Great War' cartoon character.
* M.J.Dease. (reg No. 320)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Loughton Cemetery, Loughton, and on plaque on Nimy Bridge, Mons
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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