31st July 1917 - Captain Leonard Powell Godfrey
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| Leonard Powell Godfrey |
31st July 1917 was the first day of the Battle of
Passchendaele serving alongside Captain David Aubrey Sandbrook, during the
Battle of Pilckem Ridge was Captain Leonard Powell Godfrey.
Captain David Aubrey Sandbrook was killed and his body
having been lost and his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial,
Ypres.
Captain Leonard Powell Godfrey was injured during the
action. He was evacuated from the
battlefield to Mendinghem Casualty Clearing Station.
Before Godfrey got to the Casualty Clearing Station, he had
to had to go through various stages as illustrated.
The Army’s medical services suffered with major problems
during the duration of the First World War.
A man’s life depended on how quick the wound got treated.
Regimental Aid Post
They were set up by the Royal Army Medical Corps 200-300
yards of the Front line, usually in small spaces such as communication trenches,
dug outs or deep shell holes usually in appalling conditions. The walked wounded struggled while those
serious cases were carried by stretcher bearers. The Regimental Medical Officer would be in
charge suppling equipment to be used for wounds to be cleaned and dressed, also
relief administered.
If men were easily treated, they would return back to their
duties. If it were a serious case, the wounded
would be carried by the stretcher bearers usually over muddy conditions, to the
Advanced Dressed Station
Advanced Dressed Station
These were used established ruined buildings, underground
bunkers or dug-outs about 400 yards from the Front Line. The Station had to provide some protection
from shellfire and air attack. They did
have some better equipment than the Regimental Aid Post, but still had limited
medical treatment. The wounded were
treated so they could return back to their battalions, if they were station a
worse case, the wounded would have been transported either by horse drawn or Field
Ambulance to a Casualty Clearing Station.
Field Ambulance
Before the wounded was transferred to the Casualty Clearing
Station, they were treated by the mobile medical units. There was three Field Ambulance
to each army division. The three Field
Ambulances were made up of 10 officers, 224 men. These men comprised into three sections, of
stretcher bearers, an operating tent, tented wards, nursing orderlies. Either a
horse drawn or motor ambulance. The wounded
men, here were labelled with the information regarding to their injuries and
the treatment given. Medical officers
had to prioritize. Many of the wounded were
given morphia who were beyond help.
Casualty Clearing Station
The Casualty Clearing Station, was usually several miles
from the Front, located near the railway lines and waterways. A Casualty Clearing Station usually
accommodate a minimum 50 beds with a further 150 stretchers. A Casualty Clearing Station would have to
move at a short notice with the changing of the Front Line. Facilities included medical, surgical wards,
operating theatres, medial stores, kitchens, mortuary, and sleeping quarters
for the nurses and officers. Casualty
Clearing Station were often targeted by enemy aircraft and artillery.
It was here at Mendinghem
Casualty Clearing Station that Godfrey, died from his wounds on 23rd
August.
Leonard Powell Godfrey, at the time of the 1901 Census, aged
10 years was residing at 55 Walter Road, with his mother and father. His father Joseph Godfrey was an Assayer of
the Docks
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| 1901 British Census 31st March 55 Walter Road |
By the time of the 1911 Census, Godfrey now aged 20 is a
student at Shebbear College, Shebbear, Devon.
Shebbear College was founded in 1829, by the Bible Christian
Society. It is one world’s oldest
Methodist school.
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| 1991 British Census 2nd April Shebbear College, Shebbear, Devon |
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| Leonard Powell Godfrey Will Entry |
At the outbreak of the First, Godfrey was appointed as temporary
second lieutenant on 10th October 1914. He came back home to Sketty, during 1916
after having been injured at Mametz Wood, Somme.
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| Leonard Powell Godfrey Headstone Mendinghem Military Cemetery |
Godfrey is buried at Mendinghem Military Cemetery
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| Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder 1st September 1917 |
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