Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

Herbert Hunt GOODRIDGE Private, 1/7 London Regiment Herbert GOODRIDGE was originally an officer in the 1/Newfoundland Regiment being commissioned as a Lieutenant on 24th September 1914. However he did not continue with his service with that regiment and instead joined the 1/7 London Regiment with which he was killed on the Somme in October 1916. The archives in St John's Newfoundland give some insight to why Herbert GOODRIDGE resigned his commission on 23rd February 1915 (officially resigned 5th April 1915). It seems that he had a series of brushes with authority in January 1915 which resulted in charges of absenting himself without due reason, not appearing on parade and drunkenness. Quite what could have happened to change him from a committed officer to one who clearly was not performing is not clear, however having found him guilty (there were seven witnesses for the prosecution and none for the defence) his commanding officer wrote mentioning the 'unfortunate circumstances' that had led to his troubles. He was given passage to return to Newfoundland which suggests a compassionate response rather than that normally expected. Presumably the resignation of his commission was a requirement of this arrangement. It seems likely that he returned to Newfoundland in March 1915. Quite what happened on his return is unknown but in April 1915 the Canadian forces made their heroic stand at Ypres against German gas attacks. No doubt this stimulated an increase in recruitment and if Herbert Goodridge had a wish to reenlist he could not do so with the Newfoundland Regiment. It therefore is possible that he sailed to England and enlisted as a Private in the 1/7 London Regiment. Initiated: 23rd May 1913 Passed: 7th July 1913 Raised: 26th September 1913 Address: St. John's Age: 37 Occupation: Broker Killed on active service, 7th October 1916

Masonic :

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley