Edward James Godman was born in 1884 in Chipperfield near Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, the seventh child of George Godman and Charlotte Whitney who had nine children together. Edward grew up with seven siblings who were: Alice Mary, George William, William George, Alice Kate, Ruth, Leonard, James and Chris (Christopher). The oldest girl Alice Mary died in 1874 aged three and Edward’s brother Chris fought and died in the Great War on 3rd October 1915. His biography also appears on this site. When Edward was born the family lived at “Chapelcroft” in Chipperfield and his father George, worked as a farm labourer on a nearby farm and Edward like his two older brother’s he followed his father onto the land when he left school.

He attended Apsley Boys School which he left in April 19897 to begin work as a “Shepherd Boy” before gaining employment as a “Farm Labourer”. This was the job he was doing on the outbreak of war and he remained on the land until the introduction of the Group System (Derby Scheme) in September 1915 which was introduced following the National Registration Act the previous July. He attested in October and on the promise of future service was posted to the Army Reserve until his “group” was called up. This happened at the end of March 1916 when he travelled to Bedford and enlisted with the Bedfordshire Regiment and immediately sent to undergo basic training. It is not known when he went overseas but it was probably around September 1916 when he was posted to the 2nd Battalion Bedfords. During September and October the Battalion was receiving regular drafts of reinforcements having lost some 440 men in July alone.

If Edward arrived in September or early October he would have fought in the Battle of Transloy Ridge where once again the 2nd Battalions suffered heavy casualties losing 435 men, almost half the unit’s fighting strength. For the next two years the Battalion fought in the major engagements at Arras and Ypres, including Passchendaele as well as the First Battles of the Somme in 1918. Arras, Albert and the Second Battle of Bapaume followed in what became known loosely as the “last 100 days” as these battles moved the Allies to victory and the Armistice in November 1918. However, it is not clear how long Edward was at the front fighting or if he was wounded or became ill which led to his evacuation back to England and admission to hospital.  What is known from his military records is that he was in Colchester Military Hospital in 1918 and it was here that he sadly died on Monday, 15th September, either from wounds or illness.

Edward is Remembered with Honour in Chipperfield (St. Paul) Churchyard, Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom The inscription on his headstone, requested by his father George, reads: “SAFE IN THE ARMS OF JESUS PEACE PERFECT PEACE”

He was 34 years old when he died.

Edward was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.