Name
John Graham Goffey
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/09/1916
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
King's Royal Rifle Corps
23rd Bn. attd. 17th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ANCRE BRITISH CEMETERY, BEAUMONT-HAMEL
VI. B. 21.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, All Saints Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Berkhamsted Collegiate School, Berkhamsted
Pre War
John Graham Goffey (known as Jock) was born in 1897 in Bushey, Herts, the son of Harry and Elinor Goffey. He was baptised on 4 December 1898 at St Michael and All Angels, Southfields, Wandsworth although the address is given is 17 Burns Avenue, Liscard, Cheshire.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Egerton Grove, Liscard, and his father gave his occupation as artist and painter. They had moved to Berkhamsted by 1911 and were living at Cowper Road. John was then a 13 year old schoolboy and one of seven children. His father's occupation was then given as painter (artist).
He was educated at Berkhamsted School as a 'day boy' and served in the Inns of Court Officers' Training Corps as Lance Corporal 625. The OTC trained in trenches dug in Berkhamsted and Northchurch.
His parents later lived at 'St Mildred's', Cross Oak Road, Berkhamsted.
John was working as a Clerk in London at the time of enlistment.
Wartime Service
John enlisted with the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant and served with the 23rd Battalion, later being attached to the 17th Battalion. He served in France from 9 July 1916.
He would have been in action during the Battle of the Somme, but was killed in action on 3 September 1916, aged 18, and is buried in Ancre British Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £43 2s 10d.
A bench was placed by the Goffey family overlooking the remains of the trench system near Berkhamsted which was dug by trainee soldiers, including from the Inns of Court Training Corps. The trenches, which have now been partially restored, were dug on Berkhamsted and Northchurch commons.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk, www.lochnagarcrater.org., 1914centenary.com
