LORD ASHCROFT'S "HERO OF THE MONTH" LORD ASHCROFT'S "HERO OF THE MONTH" Private Sidney Frank Godley VC Private Sidney Frank Godley VC LORD ASHCROFT'S

LEFT: "HERO OF THE MONTH" Private Sidney Frank Godley.

Private Sidney Frank Godley VC ABOVE: This bridge at Nimy is a modern replacement for the one on which Lieutenant Maurice Dease and Private Sidney Godley made their stand on 23 August 1914.

HE SON of a painter and MAIN PICTURE: officer added an “e” to his family name The Germans later took over the given a civic reception at Lewisham, decorator, Sidney Frank Godley A contemporary of “Godly”. Godley, who had fair hair and hospital and Godley was taken south (where he lived), 50 T(always known as Frank) was First World a thick moustache, embarked for France prisoner. He refused to answer guineas and a copy of the Lewisham born in , , on 14 War artist’s and Belgium in August 1914 when his questions but was still well-treated Roll of Honour. August 1889. However, he was largely depiction of battalion was one of the first to go to war. by the Germans, being sent to Berlin There are several memorials in his the action for brought up by an aunt in Willesden, Godley and his comrades arrived at for skin grafts, while his injured back honour and, in 1938, he was presented which Private Middlesex, after his mother died Sidney Godley on 22 August. The next day, during alone required 150 stitches. When he with a special gold medal struck by the when he was six. He was a talented and Lieutenant heavy fighting, the Germans seized the was fit enough, he was transferred to people of Mons. In 1954, as a prominent sportsman: a good cross-country runner, Maurice initiative. Initially, Lieutenant Maurice Doberitz camp. member of the Old Contemptibles footballer and cricketer. Dease were Dease, in charge of a single company of Godley’s VC – along with a posthumous Association, he gave a BBC radio After working in an ironmonger’s subsequently defending Nimy Bridge, VC for Dease – was announced in The interview about his experiences at awarded the shop and as a plumber, Godley joined had control of a machine-gun. London Gazette on 25 November 1914, Mons to mark the 40th anniversary I remain in awe of Godley’s courage . BOTTOM LEFT: the 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers (ALL IMAGES Early in the fighting, Dease was when his brief citation stated: “For of the battle. The “Old Contemptibles” This personal at Mons when he displayed great self- (City of London Regiment), in December HISTORIC wounded in the knee at about 09.00 coolness and gallantry in fighting his was the affectionate name later given to memorial to sacrifice to save his men. However, 1909, aged 20. At the time, his recruiting MILITARY PRESS) hours but he refused to leave the machine gun under a hot fire for two members of the British Expeditionary Lieutenant he was a great survivor, narrowly Jon Enoch/eyevine Maurice Dease battlefield. After keeping up a fierce hours after he had been wounded at Force who saw the early fighting on the railway escaping from a seemingly hopeless resistance for more than two hours, Mons on 23rd August.” Initially, Godley’s during the First World War (the Kaiser bridge. situation with his life, albeit with QUALITIES OF BRAVERY and being hit at least four more Godley did not waver despite also family had thought that his VC was, allegedly made a caustic reference 27 separate wounds to show for his times, Dease eventually had to stop being wounded: for two more hours, like Dease’s, a posthumous award – they to Field Marshal Sir John French’s BELOW LEFT: courage. Once Godley had recovered THE MANY Victoria Crosses and George Crosses in the Lord firing (he fell unconscious and later he sprayed the enemy with relentless were not informed by the Germans that “contemptible little army”). Lieutenant from his wounds, he had to survive Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum in London are Maurice Dease. died from his wounds). machine-gun fire while his fellow Royal he was alive until April 1916. Godley later became a school Dease is almost the entire war as a PoW. displayed under one of seven different aspects or qualities It was at this point that Godley, who Fusiliers withdrew. Eventually, having While Godley was a PoW at Doberitz, caretaker and retired in 1951 after 30 recorded by the I first learnt about the details of of bravery. These are: Aggression, Boldness, Initiative, Commonwealth Leadership, Sacrifice, Skill, Endurance. had been helping Dease, took over the run out of ammunition, he destroyed however, a senior German officer years’ service. For much of his adult Godfrey and Dease’s remarkable bravery War Graves Though Godley's is not part of the collection, Lord Ashcroft machine-gun. When he was then asked the gun. By then he was wounded but informed him that he had been life, he supported various Armed when I was researching my book, Commission as feels that it would fall within the category of Sacrifice. He to stay on alone while his comrades managed to crawl to the nearby road awarded the VC. At the end of the Forces’ charities. He died in Epping, Victoria Cross Heroes, first published being “one of says, “In what is apparently the simplest quality of bravery, retreated, it effectively meant almost where he was helped to hospital by two First World War, Godley, having been , on 29 June 1957, aged 67. the first British in 2006 to mark the 150th anniversary Sacrifice epitomises selfless responsibility. Noble, strong, certain capture by the Germans – dead Belgian civilians. By now he had no a PoW for almost its entirety, gained officer battle of the creation of the VC. His medal dependable, life is offered up to protect, save or comfort or alive. fewer than 27 separate wounds. his freedom when the camp guards casualties of group is not part of my VC collection others. It is not always lost, but it is always freely given.” deserted and he and others made their the war and the but his story did feature in a Channel first posthumous way back to Britain. recipient of the 4 television series that I presented, also Godley was presented with his VC VC of the war”. called Victoria Cross Heroes.  by King George V in an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 15 February 1919. Less than a week later he was VICTORIA CROSS HEROES

LORD ASHCROFT KCMG PC is a Conservative peer, businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. The story of Godley’s life appears in his book Victoria Cross Heroes. For more information, please visit: www. victoriacrossheroes.com Lord Ashcroft’s VC and GC collection is on public display at Imperial War Museums, London. For more information visit: www.iwm.org.uk/heroes. For details about his VC collection, visit: www.lordashcroftmedals.com For more information on Lord Ashcroft’s work, visit: www.lordashcroft.com. Follow him on Twitter: @LordAshcroft Aggression, Boldness, Initiative, Leadership, Sacrifice, Skill, Endurance. Aggression, Boldness, Initiative, Leadership, Sacrifice, Skill, Endurance. www.britainatwar.com www.britainatwar.com