Leonard Powell Godfrey
Captain Leonard Powell Godfrey – Welsh Regiment, 14th Battalion, "B" Company
Early Life
Leonard Powell Godfrey was born in Swansea around 1890,
the son of Joseph Godfrey, an assayer of the docks, and his wife.Leonard Powell Godfrey
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| 1901 Census |
At the time of the 1901 Census, Leonard, aged 10, was living with his parents at 55 Walter Road, Swansea.
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| 1911 Census |
By the 1911 Census, Leonard, then aged 20, was recorded as a student at Shebbear College, Shebbear, Devon. Founded in 1829 by the Bible Christian Society, Shebbear is one of the world’s oldest Methodist schools.
In 1915, Leonard married Agnes J. Moffat, of
Glantawe, Heathfield. He worked as an assayer, took part in Sunday
school and social work, and helped to form a local debating society. Leonard
and Agnes made their home at Redcroft, Queen’s Road, Sketty.
Military Service
At the outbreak of the First World War, Leonard was
appointed a temporary second lieutenant on 10th October 1914
in the Welsh Regiment, 14th Battalion, “B” Company.
He served with distinction but was wounded during the
fighting at Mametz Wood, Somme, in 1916. After convalescing at home in
Sketty, he returned to active duty with his battalion.
On 31st July 1917, Leonard took part in
the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele,
in the assault on the Pilckem Ridge.
The Battle of Pilckem Ridge
The attack on Pilckem Ridge was the first phase of
the Passchendaele offensive, designed to break through German defences
north-east of Ypres. Beginning with an artillery bombardment, British and
Commonwealth infantry went “over the top” in the early morning. Torrential rain
quickly turned the shattered landscape into a quagmire, with advancing troops
forced to cross ground churned into deep mud and shell holes.
The 14th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, including “B”
Company, pressed forward under intense fire. Leonard fought alongside Captain
David Aubrey Sandbrook, who was killed during the advance; his body was never
recovered. Sandbrook’s name is now inscribed on the Menin Gate Memorial
at Ypres.
Leonard was also struck down during the action, sustaining
serious wounds.
Evacuation and Medical Care
After being wounded, Leonard was carried through the chain of medical stations that characterised the British Army’s medical system in the Great War:
- Regimental
Aid Post (RAP): 200–300 yards behind the front line, where immediate
first aid was provided by stretcher bearers and a medical officer.
- Advanced
Dressing Station (ADS): about 400 yards from the line, usually in
bunkers or ruined buildings, where more serious cases were stabilised.
- Field
Ambulance: mobile units with stretcher bearers, operating tents, and
orderlies, where men were labelled with their injuries and treatment
given.
- Casualty
Clearing Station (CCS): several miles behind the lines, near railways,
equipped with surgical wards and operating theatres, but also frequent
targets for enemy aircraft.
It was at the Mendinghem Casualty Clearing Station,
near Proven in Belgium, that Leonard finally succumbed to his wounds on 23rd
August 1917.
Burial
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| Leonard Powell Godfrey Mendinghem Military Cemetery credit - findagrave |
Legacy
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| Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder |
His wife, Agnes, was widowed after barely two years of
marriage. Leonard’s name was added to the St Paul’s Church memorial in
Sketty, ensuring that he would be remembered alongside his comrades.
The Herald of Wales and Monmouthshire Recorder of 1st
September 1917 reported on his death, noting the loss both to the Welsh
Regiment, 14th Battalion, and to the Sketty community that had
shaped his early years.
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