Name
Reginald Walter Goodge
28th October 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/04/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
82155
Royal Field Artillery
50th Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
II. B. 56.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield War Memorial, Lemsford Village Memorial
Pre War
Reginald Walter Goodge was born on the 28th October 1894 in Lemsford, to Walter John and Mary Ann (née Barr) Goodge. He was baptised at St. John's church, Lemsford on the 9th December 1894, attended Lemsford School from 1898 to 1908 when he left to work at Lemsford Mill where his father was a carter. By 1911 he was a railway porter on the Great Northern Railway.
In the 1901 Census, Reginald, aged 6, was living with his parents, Walter and Mary Ann and two sisters in Lemsford. His father was a carter at flour mill. By 1911, Reginald was still living in Lemsford with his now widowed Mother and one brother. He is now working as a railway porter.
Officially recorded as born in Lemsford and was living there when he enlisted in Nottingham.
Wartime Service
Gunner, Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and royal Field Artillery, Number: 82155.
In August 1914 he enlisted at Nottingham in the Royal Field Artillery, one of the first men from Lemsford to volunteer. By September 1915 Gunner 82155 Reginald Goodge of the 50th Brigade of the R.F.A. was at the Front. Bombardier Reginald Walter Goodge was only 23 when he died of his wounds on April 23rd 1917 received during the Arras Offensive (April to June 1917) and is buried in grave II B 36, Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France. The Cemetery is about 10 miles north west of Arras and contains 2,771 burials of Commonwealth soldiers from the first World War and seven from the second, 225 French burials pre March 1916 and 64 German war graves.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of July 1917, recorded: “With great regret we have to add another name to our Roll of Honour. Bombardier R. Goodge R.F.A son of Mrs Walter Goodge died in France on April 23rd of wounds received the previous day, when he was hit by a piece of gas shell. Previous to the war he was on the Gt. Northern Railway, and was one of the first to join the army in Aug 1914.
A service in his memory was held in the Parish Church on Sunday May 20th at evensong, where there was a large congregation. Part of the funereal service was read and appropriate hymns and psalms were beautifully sung while the organist quietly rendered most appropriate music, much sympathy is felt for his mother."
Awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal and 1915 Star.
Additional Information
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs Goodge (Mother) no address given, received an “In Memoriam and Roll of Honour Album”.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
