No.13589, Private, Harry Henry GOODY
Aged 18
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He is named as "GOOD" on the memorial plaque. Harry Henry Goody was born in Swaffham Bulbeck (Newmarket Q3-1897 3B:508), son of Arthur John and Rachel GOODY(née CARLTON). 1901 census...Aged 3, he was at Heath Farm, Swaffham Bulbeck with his father Arthur GOODY [26] shepherd, born Tilbury; his mother Rachel [29] born Bottisham; sister Bertha [7] born Bottisham, brothers John [5] born Bottisham and Willie [1] born Swaffham Bulbeck. 1911 census...Aged 13, a farm labourer, he was in Bottisham with his widowed father, sister Bertha Rachel; brothers John (farm labourer), William and Frederick [9] born Swaffham Bulbeck. His mother had died in 1903. |
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He enlisted in Cambridge.
The 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment was often referred to as "The Cambridgeshires" despite there being an actual Cambridgeshire Regiment. This was due to the fact that the recruiting facilities at Gibraltar barracks in Bury St.Edmunds were overwhelmed by the number of eager volunteers, and a temporary camp was set up in Cambridge to share the load. This unit, taking it's men mainly from the Fens and having no official title, was quickly nicknamed "The Cambridgeshires".It soon became officially the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. The 11th was one of 2 Suffolk battalions involved in the action on the 1st day of the battle of the Somme, the 8th Battalion was the other, albeit in a support role. The 11th suffered the heaviest casualties in the 34th Division. Moving out from Becourt Wood at 5 am towards their jumping off point, the giant mine at Lochnagar was exploded at 7:28 (80,000 lbs of ammonal) and two minutes later the attack began. Their line of advance was through the centre of Bailiff Wood. The enemy in La Boiselle were stronger than had been thought and the Suffolks were quickly cut down by machine gun fire. It was effectively all over for them by 8 am. All day wounded lay out looking for a chance to crawl back. Some valiant souls still tried to advance, a pitiful few reaching the German wire. His brother in law, Alan Dockerill, also in the 11th Suffolks, was killed on the same day see here Of the 188 men of the 11th Suffolk to die on 1st July 1916, 147 have no known grave. Many local men fell that day.
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