2nd Lieutenant Godfrey HAWARD
99th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)

Date of birth: 25th May 1895
Date of death: 15th November 1916

Killed in action aged 21
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial Pier and Face 5C and 12C
He was born at Ridgmount Gardens, Gower Street in London on the 25th of May 1895 the only son of Stanley Haward, a copperplate printer, and Ethel Jessie (nee Horton) of 66 Rutland Park Mansions, Willesden Green in Middlesex. He was christened at Christ Church, Holborn on the 11th of October 1895.

He was educated at Deal School and at the King’s School Canterbury from May 1910 to July 1914 where he was awarded an entrance scholarship. He was appointed as a school monitor in September 1913 and was Hon Secretary of the Cantuarian in the same year; he was also a good runner and was awarded his sports colours in 1913 and 1914. He won the Senior Steeplechase in 1913 and 1914 and came 2nd against Blackheath Harriers. He was awarded his Sports Colours in 1913. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps.

Following the outbreak of war he enlisted at Westminster as Private 457 in the 19th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (2nd Public Schools), University and Public Schools Corps on the 15th of September 1914. At a medical examination, which took place on the same day, it was recorded that he was five feet seven inches tall and that he weighed 140lbs. It was also recorded that he had a fair complexion, dark eyes and dark hair.

He later applied for a commission and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th (Reserve) Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on the 22nd of January 1915. In February 1915 he was posted to Oxford for officer training. On the 28th of November 1915 he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and was later promoted to Temporary Lieutenant and embarked for France from Southampton on the 4th of August 1916, landing at Rouen the following day where he joined the 99th Machine Gun Company in the field on the 13th of August 1916.

On the 15th of November 1916 he left his trench for an attack near Beaumont Hamel. Shortly after he mounted the parapet he was wounded in the hand by a bullet. His servant, Private Wilson, immediately went to him and bandaged his wound. A minute or two later both men were killed by rifle fire.

His mother received the following telegram dated the 23rd of November 1916: -

"Regret to inform you 2/Lt G. Haward Machine Gun Corps reported missing Nov 14th. This does not necessarily mean that he is killed or wounded."

Two statements were taken to ascertain his fate.
Testament of Private 36918 R. Bull 99th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps taken at Graylingwell Hospital, Chichester on the 1st of January 1917: -

"Informant states that on Nov. 14/16 at Mailly, Lt. Haward and his servant, Pte. Wilson were killed by rifle fire. Informant was walking with them when they were both killed."

Testament of Private 13785 Harold S. Symonds, 99th Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps taken at 3rd Southern General Hospital, Cowley Section, Oxford on the 3rd of February 1917: -

"I heard that 2nd Lieut. Haward (99 MGC) was killed at Beaumont Hamel, about Nov. 14. He was first hit in the wrist, but his servant bound it up, then as he was going over the parapet, he was hit in the stomach, his servant was killed at the same time. Beaumont Hamel was taken that day, and our men were relieved 5 days later. Pte. Calver 99 MGC, BEF might know more detaails, he was up in the front line." Symonds described Godfrey Haward as "short, slight stoop, rather Jewish type."

A brother officer wrote:-

"He was one of the greatest favourites in our Company, and was always cheerful and willing to do any duty he was ordered."

A Private soldier from his Company wrote:-

"He is very much missed by the old section and his memory will always be with us. Always after returning from the trenches, or a long dreary march, he looked to our meals and saw we were comfortable before he thought of himself. In the trenches too, always doing what he could for us; how could anyone do anything else than think very highly of him? It would take too long to mention even a few of the many good actions he did for us, but I am so glad of this opportunity to tell you how much he was liked by us all. He was an officer to be proud of."

The same Private was later wounded and wrote from hospital again saying that: -

"The men of the 99th M.G.C. loved Mr Haward" and wrote that he was still much missed. "He could not say enough" he said "of his devotion and utter unselfishness towards his men. He did more than his duty, and when they were in the trenches, if the men's rations had not come when he was going to his dugout for a few hours sleep, he would get up again in the middle of the night and go round the lines to make sure that they had their food. When they came out from a spell in the trenches and cast themselves down hungry and too worn out to do anything, he would spend an hour and more, with his equipment still on, seeing that his men were housed and fed before ever he thought of himself."

The Cantuarian wrote:-

"No words need to be added to this spontaneous tribute to a noble life, Godfrey Haward has left behind him the imperishable record of a perfect Christian gentleman, and the school may justly feel proud of the part that he and O.K.S. like him have played in this war, not so much before the public eye, but in the quiet, consistent life of devotion to the duty that lay nearest."

 

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