The Conisbrough and Denaby 100 Project
Charles Goddard
Charles Goddard was the eldest child of Walter Goddard and Catherine Nock. Walter hailed from Mexborough himself, whilst Catherine was born in West Bromwich, Staffordshire. The couple presumably married sometime between 1891, when Walter was living at home with his parents and working as a Glassblower (most likely at Kilner Bros.) and 1893 when Charles was born. They would go on to have a total of eight or nine children including Charles.
Little else can be found on Charles’ family history, however military records show that he was awarded the 1915 Star, British War and Victory medals. His medal index card shows that he started his service in the rank of a Private, rising at some later date to Lance Corporal. His medal card indicates that he entered the Balkan theatre of war on 2nd July 1915, and his battalion sailed from Liverpool on the 3rd July 1915, arriving at Suvla Bay on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 6th August. Charles died just over three weeks later, on 29th August.
Newspaper reports from the time show that Charles was wounded at the Dardanelles, dying in the Royal Naval Hospital (Malta). A letter sent to his father Walter by the reverent Percy W. Searle read:
“I’m very sorry to inform you that your boy, Charles Goddard, passed away in the Royal Naval Hospital (Malta) early yesterday morning. He had received a machine gun wound in the arm, and septic poisoning set in. To attempt to save his life the arm was amputated, but lock-jaw set in, and in spite of the faithful and untiring efforts of doctor and nurses, who struggled hard to save his life, he passed away quietly at 3am. I laid him to rest in the beautiful naval cemetery at Capuchini last evening, and a bodyguard of blue jackets paid him last honours. I hardly dare try to imagine your grief, may the knownedge that he did his best for his country and his God support you in this dark time.”
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Lockjaw, often assumed to be a condition where the mouth is ‘locked shut’ was also a term used to refer to tetanus. Which of the conditions it was which Charles suffered from is unsure, but given his condition it is most likely that he died of tetanus.
As stated in the letter to Walter, Charles is buried at Capuchini Naval Cemetery, on the island of Malta. Charles’ descendant Glyn has inherited a card of memorial, and his Victory Medal. Evidence of his British War Medal is rife however as in the photo, the Victory Medal is shown on the British ribbon.
The card has a very moving insert which reads on one side;
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“A light is from our household gone,
A voice we loved is still,
A place is vacant on our hearth
Which never can be filled.
He drooped like a flower that is nipt in the bud,
He took the repose of the gentle and good;
He blest us, and left us, our tears they flow on,
And we desire the beautiful land where he’s gone.
Be warned , then, by my sudden call
For death you must prepare,
The time must come – we know not when,
The manner, how or where.”
The other side of the card reads
“In Loving Memory of Corporal Charles Goddard
The beloved son of Walter and Catherine Goddard, 28, Cliffe View, Denaby,
Who fell fighting for his King and Country on August 29th, 1915, and was interred in the Naval Cemetery at Malta. Aged 22 Years.”
As stated in the letter to Walter, Charles is buried at Capuchini Naval Cemetery, on the island of Malta.