Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

SA Premiers ANZAC SPirit Prize winning entry 2012

Oscar Leonard Godlee was born on the 21^st of June 1895 in the settlement of Beltana in South Australia's arid north.  Belatana was a bustling rural centre based around a large pastoral homestead at the time.  

He was the fourth son of Arthur John Godlee and Eliza Godlee, who by 1914  lived at 6 Daphne Street, Prospect, a northern suburb of Adelaide. Oscar received his primary education at a public school, and afterwards continued his studies at Adelaide High School.

He was interested in pursuing a career in the Medical field and was qualified to take up a medical course at The Adelaide University. Instead he enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force in December 1915.

He was not the only son of the Godlee Family, who fought in WWI. Oscar’s brother, Sergeant F. Lister Godlee had left for the war a year earlier, in October 1914. He fought in Gallipoli, but unlike his younger brother, returned to his family in 1918, and lived to tell his story.

Oscar Leonard Godlee’s Service during WW1

Oscar left Adelaide on board HMAT A70 Ballarat (His Majesty’s Australian Transports) on 12 August 1916 at the age of 21, and arrived in France on the 21^st of November 1916. His decision to go and fight on the Western Front would have been influenced strongly by other family members who went to war - his brother and several cousins.

On 8^th December 1916, Oscar was admitted to hospital with a severe case of influenza. One week later he was discharged to duty and rejoined the 9^th Australian Field Ambulance at Armentieres.

Along with the 3rd Division's 9^th, 10^th and 11^th Australian Field Ambulances, (each belonging to correspondingly numbered Brigades) Oscar camped near the MDS (Main Dressing Station – see photo ), in Pont D’Achelles in early May 1917. 

Pont D'Achelles was located close to the town of Armentières, which in WWI was only 3 km from the frontlines of Messines, where the most successful battles of the Western Front had yet to be fought. Main Dressing Stations were normally located close to the action and operated by the Field Ambulance.

General Herbert Plumer, the British Commander of the Army Corps to which Oscar's unit belonged, had ordered an attack near the town of Messines.  He had ordered the soldiers to lay down 22 mine shafts underneath the Germans, and his plan was to discharge all 22 at 03:10 on 7^th June 1917. This was then to be followed by the bombardment by artillery shells, tanks and the use of poison gas.

Most of General Herbert Plumer’s plans were successful.  The mines had a spectacular effect causing complete chaos and confusion in the German positions.  Plumer's troops reached their objectives quickly. The Germans failed to counter attack successfully.

From the war diaries of the men of the 9^th Field Ambulance we notice that during this time, Oscar along with the other members of the 9^th field Ambulance Company, were assigned ‘Corps duties.’ This required them to collect the sick or wounded from the forward parts of the battlefields of Messines and provide sufficient treatment, so that the men could return to their units on the frontline where possible or be evacuated to the rear for more significant treatment and recuperation.

Although Dressing Stations were equipped quite well, they could still only provide limited medical treatment, and sadly many died of their wounds. For a while Oscar was dispatch carrying, but when fatally wounded he was stretcher bearing in the Field Ambulance.

During WWI the British troops used the M1917 carriage as their main means of transport when going to and from the battlefields. Along with the other Australian Field Ambulance, Oscar would have used this vehicle when assigned to the ‘corps duty.’ (see photo).

Unfortunately on the very first day of the Battle of Messines, 7^th June 1917, Oscar Leonard Godlee was wounded in action. The most likely cause of his wounds were the injuries from artillery fire sustained when collecting the wounded from the frontline battles.  Sadly, Oscar succumbed to his wounds and died on the same day he was admitted to the MDS. 

 Report of Death                                                          

see attached files

Source:  Page 5 National Archives of Australia Digital Documents

Insert from document sent to A J Godlee

Source: National Archives of Australia digital documents

Two years later, on 24^th September 1919, Oscar Leonard Godlee’s body was recovered and was then re-interred at the Pont D’Achelles British Cemetery, Nieppe, 3 miles south of the battlefields of the Western Front. During the early months of 1918 a letter was sent from A.J. Godlee, the father of Oscar enquiring about the his son’s belongings. His father received his son’s personal possessions soon after (see attachments) showing a list of his belongings).

Many believe that the bodies that were found in mass graves where they were buried as a hygiene measure, years after the War should have stayed as they were - undisturbed and respected in their final resting places. Another view is that they are more respected if their bodies are buried in an appropriate grave, with a head stone, because the value of that individual soldier is not acknowledged when the bones and belongings lay in a pit with many others.

Ashwini Chetthiar 2012