| Sidney Frank Godley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 14 August 1889 East Grinstead, Sussex |
| Died | 29 June 1957 Epping, Essex |
| Buried at | Loughton Burial Ground, Loughton |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1909 - 1919 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | The Royal Fusiliers |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Sidney Frank Godley VC (14 August 1889 – 29 June 1957) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was the first private soldier awarded the VC in World War I.[1]
Born on 14 August 1889 in East Grinstead, West Sussex, the nephew of George Godley, a Metropolitan Police officer involved in the 1888 hunt for Jack the Ripper, Sidney Godley was 25 years old, and a private in the 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, British Army during the Battle of Mons in the First World War when he performed an act for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
On 23 August 1914, at Mons, Belgium, Nimy Bridge, Maurice James Dease and Sidney Godley offered to defend the Nimy Bridge while the rest of the British and French armies retreated for a better defence in inland France. When Lieutenant Dease had been mortally wounded and killed, Private Godley held the bridge single-handed for two hours under very heavy fire and was wounded twice. Shrapnel entered his back when an explosion near him went off, and he was shot in the head. Despite the pain, he carried on his duty of defending his countrymen while they escaped. His gallant action covered the retreat of his comrades, but he was eventually taken prisoner. His final act was to dismantle the gun and throw the pieces into the canal. He attempted to crawl to safety, but advancing German soldiers caught him and took him to a prisoner of war camp. His wounds were treated, but he remained in camp until the Armistice. Originally it was thought that he had been killed, but some time later it was found that he was a prisoner of war in a camp called Delotz.[2]
It was in the camp that he was informed that he had been awarded the Victoria Cross. He received the actual medal from the King, at Buckingham Palace, in 1919.