Private Harry Goodwin

8891 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment

Harry (Henry) Goodwin was born in 1884 in Sudbury, he was one of three children of James and Maria Goodwin. His father was employed as a brickmaker and general labourer and the family lived at 73 Melford Road before later moving to number 80.

Harry enlisted as a regular soldier with the Suffolk Regiment in Bury St. Edmunds and in 1901 he was stationed with the 3rd Battalion in Guernsey. By 1911 he had transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment and was stationed at Jhansi, India. Harry married Ethel Sargent in Sudbury in 1915.

Harry first served in France on 12 August 1914, his battalion formed part of 5th Brigade, 2nd Division and was part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF); 80,000 troops hastily assembled from serving soldiers and reservists to help strengthen the French defences as the Kaiser’s army marched into Belgium. The battalion saw action at the Battles of Mons (23 – 24 August), Marne (7 – 10 September), Aisne (12 – 15 September) and First Battle of Ypres (19 October – 22 November 1914).

In December 1915 the battalion was transferred to 100th Brigade, 33rd Division. The 33rd Division saw action in the opening phases of the Battle of the Somme (1 July – 18 November 1916) and at the Battle of Arras (9 April – 16 June 1917).

In the late summer of 1917 the division was in Belgium and saw action during the Third Battle of Ypres (31 July – 10 November) at the battles of Menin Road Ridge (20 – 25 September) and Polygon Wood (26 September – 3 October).

He died of wounds aged 33 on 19 October 1917 and lies buried in Outtersteene Communal Cemetery Extension, Bailleul, Nord, France. He was awarded the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

A Cross of Remembrance was laid by his grave in June 2015.

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