LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Private Albert Godwin
24th Bn. Canadian Infantry
Town Memorial P3.R3.C3
patch
of 24th Battalion (Victoria Rifles)
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
PteAlbert Godwin
24th Victoria Rifles (Canada)
St Eloi
Sept 16 1916
According to the Parish magazine, Albert Godwin was killed in action and little later than the date given on the War Memorial. It states October 1916. As the issue was of that month it must have been earlier in the month to allow for the news to be received. His rank was given as Corporal. (1)
Notes on sources
1. Parish magazine of St Mary and Saint Nicholas, October 1916
Further research
Private
GODWIN, ALBERT
Service Number 65373
Died 16/09/1916
24th Bn. Canadian Infantry
Son of the late Alfred and Mary Godwin.
Commemorated at VIMY
MEMORIAL
Location: Pas de Calais, France
Battalion, sub-unit or ship: 24th Battalion,
Rank: Private
Service Number: 65373
According to the Surrey in the Great War website Albert enlisted on 26 October 1914 into the Canadian Infantry at Montreal, Canada.
Albert Godwin has no known grave and is named on the The Vimy Memorial.
On the opening day of the Battle of Arras, 9 April 1917, the four divisions of the Canadian Corps, fighting side by side for the first time, scored a huge tactical victory in the capture of the 60 metre high Vimy Ridge.
After the war, the highest point of the ridge was chosen as the site of the great memorial to all Canadians who served their country in battle during the First World War, and particularly to the 60,000 who gave their lives in France. It also bears the names of 11,000 Canadian servicemen who died in France - many of them in the fight for Vimy Ridge - who have no known grave.
The memorial was designed by W.S. Allward. It was unveiled by King Edward VIII on 26 July 1936.
His Life
Albert Godwin was born on 3 April 1880 in Leatherhead, Surrey and was baptised at Leatherhead Parish Church on 25 July 1880. He was a Painter.His father was Alfred Jaybez Godwin (1849-1909), a Wattle Maker from Cranleigh, Surrey, a son of Alfred Godwin (1799-1854) and Amelia Knight
(1810-1900).
His mother was Mary Jane Godwin née Chilman (1850-1913) from Leatherhead, a daughter of Charles Chilman (1810-1851), a Road Labourer, and Jane Taylor (1819-1882).
In the 1871 Census his father Alfred was boarding with Albert's namesake, his uncle Albert and Eliza Godwin at Woodbridge, Kingston Road, Leatherhead. In the next household on the page was Mary J(ane) Chilman. Alfred and Mary had a son - Alfred William - in 1871 and were married on 30 September 1871 at St Paul's, Hook, Surrey.
Albert Godwin's siblings were Alfred William b 1871, Mary Jane b 1874, Thomas Charles b 1876, Emma Mercy b 1877, Lois b 1879, Leonard b 1881, Annie b 1883, Henry b 1885, Louise b 1887, Amy b 1888, Edith Emily b 1890, George b 1893, Edward John b 1896 and Alice b 1898.
Albert lived in these places:
1881 Census: Woodbridge Cottages,
Kingston Road, Leatherhead
1891 Census: 'Kingston Road (Rehoboth)'
In the 1901 Census he is not with the Godwin family in a cottage in Kingston Road, Leatherhead (between Park Villa and Cottage Workshop next to Sunnyside Villas). Instead an Albert Godwin, aged 20, born Leatherhead Surrey, a Locomotive Fireman, appears to have been lodging with the Grout family at 5 The Parade, Teddington.
In the 1911 Census Albert, now aged 31, was at Oak View, Kingston Road, Leatherhead: his mother was now head of the household following the death of his father in 1909. This time his occupation was a Painter.
1891 Census: 'Kingston Road (Rehoboth)'
In the 1901 Census he is not with the Godwin family in a cottage in Kingston Road, Leatherhead (between Park Villa and Cottage Workshop next to Sunnyside Villas). Instead an Albert Godwin, aged 20, born Leatherhead Surrey, a Locomotive Fireman, appears to have been lodging with the Grout family at 5 The Parade, Teddington.
In the 1911 Census Albert, now aged 31, was at Oak View, Kingston Road, Leatherhead: his mother was now head of the household following the death of his father in 1909. This time his occupation was a Painter.
At present we do not have access to the Canadian records which could tell us when he arrived in Canada, where he lived, what work he did and more about his service with the Canadian Army.
As far as is known he was not married.
His mother died in 1913.
His brother Henry Godwin died serving with the 1st/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment on 1 December 1917. He left a widow, Rhoda, of 3 Oak Rd., Leatherhead, Surrey.
Albert Godwin is remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey in the Great War
Canadian WW1 Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
the website editor
would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 8 Sep 20