Name
Colin Hugh Godson
1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/10/1916
38
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Company Sergeant Major
22217
Royal Fusiliers *1
32nd (County of London)(Service) Bn.
'B' Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Berkhamsted memorials
Pre War
Colin Hugh Godson was born in 1879 in Basford, Nottingham, the son of Charles Henry and Charlotte Godson.
His father, who was a colliery engine driver, died the following year, aged 48, and on the 1881 Census the family were living in a yard off Chelsea Street, North Gate, Basford, Nottinghamshire, where his widowed mother was working as a laundress.
He enlisted into the Grenadier Guards at the age of 18 and served as Private 5569 rising to Lance Sergeant after the South African Campaign in 1901 and 1902, receiving the South Africa Medal with clasps.
Colin married Myra Hannah Payne on 4 July 1905 at Englefield Green, Surrey and their son Colin Henry was born on 30 June 1906 and baptised in August at St Saviour's Church, St George's Square, Pimlico. They were living at 7 Sutherland Place at the time and he was described as a Soldier with the 6th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
On the 1911 he was listed as a Sergeant with the 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, living at the Finsbury Barracks, City Road, London. They had a second son, Wilfred Philip, who was born on 9 May 1913.
He was discharged on 18 December 1913 having served 18 years and took up employment as manager of the King's Arms Hotel, Berkhamsted.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war he would have been recalled as a reservist, and he served with the 32nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
He rose to the rank of Company Sergeant Major but was killed in action on 4 October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, aged 38. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London)(Service) Bn London Regiment (East Ham).
His widow received a war gratuity of £10 and pay owing of £11 2s 4d. She also received a pension of £1 7s 11d a week for herself and her two children. She obtained probate of his estate in London 31 October 1917 with effects of £167 3s 8d. Her address was given as 4 Harmer Road, Englefield Green, Surrey on pension records.
N.B. Sons Colin and Wilfred were both killed in WWII. Colin died in 1945 whilst serving with the Royal Australian Artillery and is named on the Labuan Memorial, Malaysia, and Wilfred died in 1944 whilst serving with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and is buried in Valkenswaard War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
