William Allen GOODY KSLI, 4th KORR and 56 AT RGT RA

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by Ian Chadwick, May 13, 2019.

  1. Ian Chadwick

    Ian Chadwick Member

    William Allen GOODY

    Medals

    1939/45 Star – Unnamed as issued

    Burma Star – Unnamed as issued

    War Medal 1939/45 – Unnamed as issued

    Defence Medal - Unnamed as issued

    Efficiency Medal (T) GVIR with 2nd award clasp – 4029425 Sgt W. A. Goody R.A.

    Shooting medals

    380th Anti Tank Regt R A (Kings Own) individual championship 1st dated 1949 named to BDR W Goody.

    Bronze TA Rifle Association medal undated engraved with ‘RIFLE’ on reverse.

    Shooting medal undated and unnamed.


    William Allen Goody was born in Ridgewell, Essex on the 22nd July 1906 and his birth was registered in Halstead, Essex during the third quarter of that year.

    The 1911 census shows William Allan Goody aged 4 years old living at Chapel Green, Ridgewell near Halstead, Essex with his parents Archie and Martha Goody and siblings Archie aged 7, Rosy aged 2 and James aged 11 months.

    William A Goody married Margaret W Simpson in 1930 and their marriage was registered in Farnham, Surrey during the second quarter of that year.

    Margaret Wineray Simpson was born in Ulverston, Lancashire on the 19th October 1909 and the 1911 census shows her aged 1 year living at 24 Quebec Street, Ulverston with her parents John and Beatrice and siblings Mary aged 12 and Robin aged 8.

    There is no record of William Allen Goody on the 1939 register but his wife Margaret W Goody born 4th October 1909 living at 60 Devonshire Drive, Ulverston.

    William Allen Goody died in 1974 aged 68 years and his death was registered in December that year in Newmarket, Suffolk.

    Pre WW2 service

    William Allen Goody enlisted into the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry as a regular soldier on the 2nd July 1924 and was allocated service number 4029425. Following basic training he was posted to the 2nd Btn KSLI on the 17th February 1925, the KSLI Depot on 20th September 1929 and then back to the 2nd Btn on the 26th February 1930.

    His soldiers service and pay book record that he was appointed bugler on the 18th October 1926 and show the following postings;

    Home – 02/07/1924 to 16/02/1925.

    Germany – 17/02/1925 to 03/11/1927.

    Home – 03/11/1927 to 01/07/1931.

    At the time of enlistment his next of kin is recorded as his mother Martha Goody of Drury Lane, Ridgewell, Essex. His next of kin changed on the 30th May 1930 to his wife Margaret Whineray Goody of 42 Victoria Road, Aldershot. His date of marriage is recorded as the 30th May 1930 at Farnham Register Office.

    Goody was awarded his first GC badge on the 2nd July 1926 and his second on the 2nd July 1929. His first GC badge was forfeited on the 24th February 1930.

    Goody had attested for 7 years with the colours and 5 years with the army reserve. He was discharged to the army reserve on the 1st July 1931.

    His KSLI service papers state his date of birth was the 22nd June 1906, record his occupation as ‘horseman’ and give the following information: -

    02/07/1924 – Joined at Wanley

    06/07/1924 – Posted Depot

    17/02/1925 – Posted Pte 2nd Btn

    18/11/1926 – Appointed Bugler

    20/09/1929 – Posted Depot

    24/02/1930 – Awarded 8 days detention for drunkenness and creating a disturbance

    26/02/1930 – Posted 2nd Btn

    01/07/1931 - Transferred to Army Reserve

    01/07/1936 – Discharged on termination of engagement

    A second set of service papers relating to William Allen Goody exist, which relate to his attestation into the 4th Kings Own Royal Regt (Lancaster) TA on the 7th July 1936. His home address is recorded as 60 Devonshire Road, Ulverston and his occupation was ‘welder’. He retained his service number 4029425 and his regular service in the KSLI is confirmed.

    The papers give the following information: -

    07/07/1936 – Posted Pte 4th KORR

    27/07/1937 - Appointed L/Cpl

    He attended Annual Camps in 1936, 1937 and 1938

    28/11/1938 – Transferred to 56th Anti-Tank Regt RA as L/Bdr

    26/07/1939 – Appointed Technical Storeman

    25/08/1939 – Called out for Military Service

    WW2 service

    His 4th KORR attestation papers also cover his WW2 service and the military history sheet gives the following service: -

    Home – 07/07/1936 to 19/04/1940

    BEF – 20/04/1940 to 30/05/1940

    Home 31/05/1940 to 05/01/1942

    India – 06/01/1942 to 08/08/1945

    Home – 09/08/1945 to 19/11/1945

    Reserves – 20/11/1945 to 12/05/1947


    The statement of services pages record the following information: -

    28/10/1939 – Promoted acting Bdr 221 Battery 56th AT Regt RA

    09/11/1939 – Appointed acting L/Sgt

    08/12/1939 – Appointed acting Sgt

    08/03/1940 – Granted war substantive Sgt

    10/08/1944 – Posted to LAA RHQ 222 Battery 56th AT Regt RA

    09/08/1945 - Posted to Y list and granted 100 days home leave

    19/11/1945 – Released to class Z reserve

    12/05/1947 – Discharged “service no longer required” on re-enlistment into the TA

    His notification of impending release document dated the 9th August 1945 records his military character as very good. It states his trade on enlistment was ‘Caretaker Drill Hall’ and gives his home address as 60 Devonshire Road, Ulverston.

    It gives the following testimonial completed by Capt Pitman dated the 25th June 1945 “This man during his service has shown that he is capable of taking responsibility. He has always shown keenness and carried out his duties conscientiously and with zeal. He has done very well in charge of the unit D.D.T arrangements and he is very reliable. Would do excellently as a commissionaire”.

    There is a second service and pay book relating 4029425 W/S Sgt William Allen Goody for service during WW2 with the Royal Artillery TA. This appears to be a replacement book issued due to the previous one being unserviceable destroyed by fire on the 18th July 1944.

    The service record confirms Goody served with the TA at home from the 7th July 1936 to the 24th August 1939 and was mobilized on the 25th August 1939 and confirms he was awarded the following medals;

    1939/43 star – No date

    Territorial Efficiency Medal – 02/08/1944

    Burma star – 03/09/1944

    The discharge certificate at the rear of the service book states that Goody was discharged from the Royal Artillery (AA) on the 12th May 1947 as a W/S Sgt. His service is recorded as 6 years and 87 days with the colours, 4 years and 223 days not with the colours totalling 10 years and 310 days service. His reason for discharge is given as ‘his service being no longer required on re-enlistment into the Territorial Army. His military conduct was very good.

    Post WW2 TA service

    William Allen Goody attested back into the 380th Anti-Tank Regt Royal Artillery at Ulverston on the 13th May 1947 aged 41 and he retained his service number 4029425 and stated his occupation was ‘caretaker’. He was promoted Bdr at the time of his attestation.

    He served at home for three years until his discharge on the 12th May 1950 and he attended annual camps in 1947, 1948 and 1949.

    The papers confirm he was awarded the 1st clasp to his EM(T) in army order 94 1950.

    An entry in ‘The Lion and the Rose’ the journal of the Kings Own Royal Regt (Lancaster) dated November 1949 states on page 117 in the section relating to ‘380 Anti-Tank Regiment RA (Kings Own) TA’ “ The first regimental rifle meeting to be held since 1939 was held on Sunday August 28th 1949 on the Walney range. It was quite an enjoyable meeting and attracted a fair number of entries and spectators. The winner of the individual championship (the Brook trophy) was Bdr Goody of ‘P’ Battery with Gnr J Baines ‘R’ Battery second and Lt Col J R S Thompson third”.

    Thanks for reading and if anyone can add any information on William Goody or the 56th (Kings Own) Anti Tank Regt RA it would be much appreciated.
    Ian

    Ps the single photo is c1924 when he joined the KSLI, the group of three he is on the right c1936-38 whilst in the 4th KORR and the photo with his wife is c1941 whilst a Sgt with the 56th AT Regt RA.

    W Goody bed plate.JPG W Goody shooting medal obv.jpg W Goody shooting medal rev.jpg Pte W A Goody KSLI c1924 copy.jpeg Pte W A Goody 4 KORR c1936-38 copy.jpeg William & Margaret GOODY 1941 copy.jpeg
    W A Goody medals.jpg
     
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