Henry Arthur Goddard
| Henry Arthur Goddard | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 December 1869 West Hackney, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 24 October 1955 (aged 85) Sydney, New South Wales |
| Allegiance | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1899–1931 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards |
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Mention in Despatches (3) Croix de Guerre (Belgium) |
| Other work | Commercial representative of The Times in Australia |
Henry Arthur Goddard CMG, DSO (13 December 1869 – 24 October 1955) was an Australian Army colonel and temporary Brigadier General in World War I. He retired as a brigadier general in 1931.
Henry Arthur Goddard was born in West Hackney, Middlesex, England on 13 December 1869, the son of an insurance clerk. Goddard migrated to Australia in 1890. He settled in Brisbane where he worked as a clerk. He experimented with growing barley on the Darling Downs. He was also consul for Paraguay from 1906 to 1915.
In England, Goddard had been a sergeant in the Essex Rifle Volunteers. On 30 November 1899 he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Moreton Regiment. On 11 February 1913 he was promoted to lieutenant and given command of the regiment. On his many business trips overseas he observed military manoeuvres in Europe.
When war was declared 1914, Goddard was placed in charge of the Brisbane Defences. On 16 March 1915 he was appointed to the First Australian Imperial Force with the rank of lieutenant colonel and given command of the 25th Infantry Battalion. He expected to take this battalion overseas but on 9 May 1915 he was suddenly ordered to take over command of the 17th Infantry Battalion, which was about to sail for Egypt. Goddard considered it a great blow to have to leave the battalion that he had built up, and a definite setback to his career. He took charges of the 17th Infantry Battalion on 12 May, on board the transport Themistocles.
The 17th Infantry Battalion arrived in Egypt on 12 June 1915 where it trained until ordered forward to Anzac Cove, departed for Gallipoli on 16 August 1915. It left without Goddard, who was hospitalised with intestinal poisoning. He managed to get himself cleared by the medical authorities and departed on the next available ship, the Southland, which was torpedoed en route on 2 September 1915. Goddard finally made it Anzac on 6 September 1915, taking over command of the 17th Infantry Battalion. That day, he took over command of Quinn's Post, the most exposed and one of the most dangerous position on the line. He remained in command of Quinn's Post until Anzac was evacuated on 20 December 1915. Goddard was in command of the last party there and departed the post at 2:35am.
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