First battle casualty WW1

[tonyb]

Photographed this in the 'Joiners Arms' in Finchley.
A quick search on the CWGC site was very enlightening.
Tony.

[Luke H]

Very nice to see a small memorial to him. He lied about his age to join the army and escape poverty, his gravestone gives his ‘army age’ of 20 rather than 17.

I always find it very moving and sad reflection of stalemate during the Great War that the first and last Tommy to fall in battle did so less than a 10 minute car drive from each other and in death their graves are only a few feet apart.

You’ve reminded me that I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to my local cemetery after recently finding out Pte. Sidney Godley is buried there. Along with Lt. Maurice Dease they won the first Victoria Crosses of World War I at Nimy Railway Bridge.