Leslie James Godfrey

Leslie James Godfrey

Western Mail 27 Aug 1915 page 1s
Personal Information
Date of Birth	c1893
Place of Birth	Springvale, Victoria
Death	not known "not known" contains an extrinsic dash or other characters that are invalid for a date interpretation.
Place of Death	not known
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 10 months
Description
Occupation	Brickmaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	NOK Ashfield, New South Wales
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Elizabeth Godfrey
Military Information
Reg Number	1472
Date of Enlistment	19 Nov 1914
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 2nd reinforcements, transferred to 4th Machine Gun Battalion / 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	22 Feb 1915 ‒ ? Mar 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray Fremantle to
Date of Return	7 Feb 1919 ‒ 21 Mar 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Lancashire
Fate	Wounded in Action 16 Jul 1915 at Anzac Cove
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Armadale panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Received only basic training in Australia before being shipped to Egypt, where he would have had only one more month of training before landing at Anzac Cove on 2 May 1915.

He joined the 16th Battalion and fought in the offensive and counter offensive that followed. On July 5th the battalion was shipped to Imbros Island aboard the El Kalura for a break. This boat returned them to Anzac Cove in the early evening of the 10 July 1915, where they then moved up to Reserve Gully. It was here that Leslie was to fall victim of a Turkish artillery shell which caused a 'slight' wound to the back of his neck on 16 Jul 1915.

Admitted to a Military Hospital in Malta via the HMHS Sicilia on 16 Jul 1915, he returned to Egypt on the HMT Karoa leaving Malta on 12 Aug 1915.

Back on the Gallipoli Peninsula, he rejoined the 16th Battalion on 8 Oct 1915. He was again hospitalised locally with jaundice for a time before again being active with the battalion on 14 Nov 1915. On 30 Dec 1915 his unit arrived in Alexandria aboard HMAT A11 Ascanius from Mudros. At Tel-el-Kebir on 9 Mar 1916 Leslie was transferred to the 4th Machine Gun Company, classified as a Driver.

While at Serapeum, Egypt during May 1916 Les had a brush with the law, being charged with being AWOL from midnight 8 May 1916 until 6:00am 10 May 1916. Awarded 4 day's confined to camp and the forfeiture of 2 day's pay. Leslie and his unit travelled to France from Alexandria on HMT Canada, embarking on 1 June and disembarking in Marseilles on 9 Jun 1916. While waiting to join his battalion he had another run in with military authorities, being charged for "Failing to comply with an order given by a superior officer, and for using abusive and threatening language to an NCO." This time he was awarded 3 day's Field Punishment No.2 (see notes). Soon after, on 16 Sep 1916 he was again in hospital, this time with a sprained ankle, rejoining his unit on 21 Sep 1916.

While on 16 Feb 1917, Leslie was admitted to the 51st General Hospital in Étaples with Venereal Disease. He was discharged to the Machine Gun Base in Camiers, 50 days later on 6 Apr 1917. A fortnight later, on 18 Apr 1917 his records show that he was again hospitalised, this time with scabies, and although he returned to his unit, he was back again on 4 May 1917 with tonsillitis. Leslie returned to duty with the 4th Machine Gun Company on 11 Jun 1917, but on 10 Aug 1917 he was in the care of the 12th Field Ambulance with an infection, via the 9th Field Ambulance. On 11 Aug 1917 he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station before being moved on 13 Aug 1917 to the 50th Casualty Clearing Station]] where he was treated for impetigo. On 12 Aug 1917 he was transferred to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station with suspected chicken pox and while on 30 Aug 1917 he was released back to his unit, he lasted less than a day before being admitted to the 4th Field Ambulance. On 3 September he was admitted to the 3rd General Hospital at Le Treport.

Before being evacuated to England on 22 Sep 1917 aboard the HS Stad Antwerpen, Leslie was charged with "Breaking out of Hospital, and remaining out until apprehended; Stating a false name; and not being in possession of an identity disc.". For this he forfeited 5 day's pay. On arrival in England on 23 Sep 1917, he was admitted to the Conrough Hospital in Aldershot. On 1 Oct 1917 he was released to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital before being sent to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth two days later. He was transferred to the No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 27 Oct 1917 where on 12 Nov 1917 he was reclassified B1a2.

On 11 Dec 1917 Leslie was AWOL and on 2 Jan 1918 declared by a Court of Inquiry to be an Illegal Absentee. Apprehended on 4 Jan 1918, he was dealt with on 26 Jan 1918. Charged with being AWOL at Sutton Veny from 11 Dec 1917 until apprehended at Bayswater on 4 Jan 1918, he was awarded 60 days detention, and loss of 81 day's pay. Sent to the Lewes Detention Barracks on 2 Feb 1918 until 15 Feb 1918. (Sentence was remitted to 20 days as with detention while waiting to be dealt with he had served a total of 80 days.) Leslie then reported to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill from 26 Jan 1918 until 13 Mar 1918 when he proceeded overseas via Southampton.

Leslie rejoined what was now the 4th Machine Gun Battalion on 8 Apr 1918. He appears to have spent the rest of the war without blemish, before being sent back to Australian in February 1919 and he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 20 May 1919

"L.J. Godfrey enlisted in October, 1914, as driver, and sailed 22nd February, 1915, with the 16th Battalion. Fought through the Gallipoli campaign, landing and evacuation; was wounded 5th August, 1915. Now driver in the 4th Machine Gun Section, France.

Post War

He was probably in New South Wales from the 1920s to 1960s, working as a machinist or a fitter. In 1924, at 283 Belmont street, Alexandrea, Sydney when he applied for assistance from the War Service Homes Commission. March 1937 in Sydney seeking another set of medals, but in Mar 1967 he wrote from Mandurah seeking his Anzac Commemoration Medal. 1968 Electoral Roll lists him at 34 Cooper street, Mandurah; and in 1972 at 44 Symmons street, Bunbury - no occupation or partner for either entry implying single and retired.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Memorial