Captain Godfrey Egremont Boulderson BARKWORTH
D Company, 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Date of birth: 6th July 1894
Date of death: 19th May 1955

Survived aged 60
Buried at Kitale Cemetery Row A Lot 27
Godfrey Egremont Boulderson "Barkie" Barkworth was born at 40 Cambridge Terrace, Paddington in London on the 6th of July 1894 the fourth and youngest son of Major Harold Arthur Sandbach Barkworth, Border Regiment, and Mary Alma (nee Gedesden) Barkworth of 33 Oxford Terrace, Hyde Park in London. He was christened at Tandridge in Surrey on the 20th of August 1894.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until July 1908 where he was a member of the Football XI in 1905, 1906 and 1907. He was a member of the Cricket XI in 1908. The school magazine wrote the following on his 1905 football season: - "(Inside left) - A young but very promising forward - quick on the ball, with quite an idea of shooting."

Of his 1906 season they wrote: - "(Centre forward) - Failed to fulfil the promise which he showed last year. Very lacking in resource, but always a hard trier."

Of his 1907 football season they wrote: - "(Half) - Indefatigable in the centre, getting through an immense amount of work both in attack and defence; is a fine tackler, and shoots hard."

The magazine wrote of his 1908 cricket season: - "A useful bat, with no pretensions to style; is a plucky but unpolished "keep" and has dome good service with the gloves."

He had planned to go to Wellington College in April 1908 when the school the magazine wrote of him: - "....follows his two brothers to Wellington. A really good football player and a useful cricketer. His sunny disposition endeared him to all." In the event a place there could not be found and so he returned to Hazelwood for the summer term of 1908. On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - "...was unable to find a vacancy at Wellington last term, but is now more fortunate. he is to be congratulated on utilising the additional time to gain a higher form at Wellington (Middle 2nd II), and his cricket "Colours" at Hazelwood."

He went on to Wellington College where he was in Rodger’s House from September 1908 to 1910. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps. On leaving school he was taught by a tutor.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers on the 1st of October 1914. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion and embarked for France on the 7th of January 1915, joining his battalion in billets at Bois Grenier on the 9th of January where he was attached to D Company. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 31st of January 1915.

On the 20th of July 1916 the battalion was involved in attack on High Wood on the Somme which they initially managed to clear of German defenders but were forced out of the northern part of the wood in the late afternoon.

He was described by a fellow officer thus:-

“The quaintness of his stooping gait, straddling as he ran; the agile man’s usual run over shell-pocked ground under fire”.

In fact he had been slightly wounded.

He was subsequently promoted to Battalion Bombing Officer, a post he was holding on New Year’s Day 1917 when he attended “an uncommonly good dinner” in the officer’s mess. He was promoted to Acting Captain on the 11th of October 1917 when he was wounded again. On October the 1st 1918 he was promoted to Temporary Captain.

He was married to Marian Isabel (nee Kittoe) at the Chapel Royal Savoy on the 15th of October 1919. They lived at 12 Cork Street in London but sadly the marriage was dissolved in 1933.

He retired from the army with the rank of Captain on the 8th of June 1922 and passed into the Reserve of Officers. On the 18th of July 1922 he was granted the Freedom of the City of London and was a member of the Guild of Grocers.

He was mobilised for war service on the 24th of August 1939 and was attached to the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps with the rank of Captain on the 11th of November 1939.

He later moved to Kenya and died at Kitale European Hospital. His funeral took place on the 21st of May 1955.

His brother, Captain Humphrey Barkworth 25th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, died of wounds on the 3rd of July 1916. His father, Major Harold Arthur Sandbach Barkworth Border Regiment died on the 28th of January 1917.
Went on to Wellington College

Back