Cpl 16354 Godfrey Briggs

• Age: 28
• From: Leeds
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 9th April 1917
• Commemorated at: Wancourt Brit Cem
  Panel Ref: VI.G.24

Godfrey Briggs was born on the 15th May 1888 in Leeds, and was baptised on the 18th Nov 1888 at St Peter, Bramley. He was the son of James and Ada Blanche Briggs (nee Morgan) who were married in 1876 in Holbeck, West Riding. 

The 1891 census records the family living at 6 Warrel's Terrace, Bramley.

The family are living at the same address at the time of the 1901 census. The two younger boys, Sydney Emanuel 16 and Grodfrey 12, are still at school but Edgar William 20 is now working as a chemists assistant. Two of Ada’s unmarried sisters are now resident: Mary Morgan aged 36 and Edith Morgan aged 34, who are both living on their own means. Also present is a general servant Lily Dennis aged 24.

On the 1911 Census Godfrey is now 22, still living with his parents at the same address, and working as an engineer for a textile machine maker. His brothers had left home – Sydney was one of four boarders at a house in Waterloo, Liverpool working as a dyers chemist, and Edgar, who had married in 1909, had moved to Blackburn and was working as a retail optician.

His father died in Bramley in 1912, aged 77.

At some point before enlisting Godfrey came to live in Waterloo, Liverpool, and his parents moved to 21 Winston Road, Blackburn, Lancashire.

Godfrey enlisted at St. George's Hall in Liverpool on the 03rd September 1914 joining in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 16354. He was aged 23 years and 123 days, and was born in Leeds, he gave his occupation as a clerk,height 5' 8", weight 124lbs, chest 36", he had a fresh complexion with hazel eyes and brown hair, and stated his religion as Church of England. His next of kin was his mother Ada, of 24 Oxford Road, Waterloo.

From the 23rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

07.11.16 - He arrived in France. 

03.11.15 - appointed unpaid L/Cpl

02.7.16 - appointed Act/Cpl

25.7.16 - promoted Cpl

02.8.16 - granted Class I proficiency pay

05.10.16 - to 96 F.A. with tonsillitis

14.11.16 - court martialled for disobeying a command on 29.10.16, convicted and reduced to the ranks

23.11.16 - conviction quashed

07-19.1.17 - on leave to UK

Godfrey was killed in action on the 9th April 1917, aged 28, during the Battle of Arras.

Arras 09th April 1917

Details of the circumstances the 18th Battalion had to contend with are illustrated below:

The battalion formed the left assaulting battalion of the brigade, the 2nd Wiltshire Regiment being on the right, the 19th Manchester Regiment being in support and 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment furnishing “moppers -up” for the two assaulting battalions. The brigade advance was timed to begin at ---- hour after “Zero”, suited to conform with the movements of 56th Division and other divisions on our left further north (near Arras). This battalion’s objective was the front-line system Lion Lane on the left (exclusive) to Panther Lane on right (exclusive). This sector included the strongpoint known as “The Egg”.

The brigade advanced at prearranged time, i.e., 11.38 a.m, from position of assembly trenches south of Neuville Vitasse to German front line. This necessitated an advance across the open of at least 2,000 yards. This area up to Neuville Vitasse- Henin road was crossed in artillery formation; after this, owing to machine-gun fire and considerable resistance from German posts forward in the sunken roads, it was found necessary to deploy. During the whole movement across the open the advancing columns had been under considerable artillery fire from guns of all calibres. On gaining the position immediately in front of German line it was found that the wire was practically uncut; this wire formed two strong belts in front of German trenches. Two small gaps were eventually discovered and Second-Lieut H.F.Merry gallantly led a bombing party through them, but his three remaining men were killed as they reached the German trenches.

From the moment the battalion was “held up” in front of German wire Capt. R. W. Jones, the senior company commander on the spot, at once began the work of consolidating in front of German wire. The battalion held on in this position for the remainder of the day, until relieved by the 16th Manchester Regiment about 3 a.m. on the 10th of April, all the time under intense machine-gun and rifle fire.

Between 9th-10th April, 1917, the 18th King's lost 2 officers 2nd Lt. F. Ashcroft and 2nd Lt. H.G. Ewing and 59 other ranks killed. 8 other officers were wounded.

His death was reported in the Leeds Mercury on 20th April 1917:

BRIGGS - Killed in action, GODFREY (Corpl. King's Liverpool Regt.), aged 29 years, son of the late JAMES BRIGGS of Bramley, Leeds and of Mrs Briggs, 24 Oxford Drive, Waterloo, Liverpool, and grandson of the late Rev. James Hughes Morgan of Leeds.

He now rests at Wancourt British Cemetery, France.

Wancourt was captured on 12 April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following days. The cemetery, called at first Cojeul Valley Cemetery, or River Road Cemetery, was opened about ten days later; it was used until October 1918, but was in German hands from March 1918 until 26 August, when the Canadian Corps recaptured Wancourt. At the Armistice, the cemetery contained 410 graves, but was very greatly increased in the following years when graves were brought in from other  small cemeteries and isolated positions on the battlefields south-east of Arras including HENIN-SUR-COJEUL, about 800 metres North of the village, contained the graves of 29 British soldiers who fell on 9 April 1917, almost all of whom belonged to the 2nd Wilts or the 18th King's Liverpools. The cemetery now contains 1,936 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 829 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 76 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 20 who were buried in Signal Trench Cemetery whose graves were destroyed in later battles. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Ada Blanche Briggs

He is remembered on the family gravestone at Hunslet Cemetery.

In Memory of

GODFREY

Cpl King's L'pool Regt

Killed In Action In France

April 9th, 1917

Third son of

JAMES BRIGGS

Age 28

His mother died in Liverpool in 1929, aged 73.

Godfrey’s brothers both served their country. Sydney Emmanuel Morgan Briggs enlisted as Pte 156130 in the Royal Garrison Artillery in January 1916 and served in France. Edgar William Briggs worked for the Red Cross in France before enlisting as Pte 112060 in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

We currently have no further information on Godfrey Briggs, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.