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Walter Meredith Goodwyn

Captain, 2nd Devonshire Regiment – Anglo Boer War
Major, 2nd Devonshire Regiment
Lt. Colonel, 16 West Yorkshire Regiment - WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Natal and Transvaal to Capt. W.M. GOODWYN, Devon. Regt.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to Capt. W.M. GOODWYN, Devon. Regt.
- 1914 (Mons) Star with 5th August to 22 November 1914 clasp to MAJOR W.M. GOODWYN DEVON: R.
- British War Medal to LT. COL. W.M. GOODWYN
- Victory Medal to LT. COL. W.M. GOODWYN

Walter Goodwyn was a military man born into a military family. Born in Ilfracombe, Devon on 6th May 1871, he was the son of Julius Edmund Goodwyn, C.B., a Major General in the British Army, and his wife Euphemia Alexandrina Victoria, born Kent.


Walter Goodwyn

General Goodwyn saw extensive overseas service and plenty of action in the Crimea where he fought in the battle of Alma, the siege of Sebastopol and the battle at Inkermann, where, finding himself in an isolated position, he was suddenly surrounded by Russians. “He immediately drew his revolving pistol, and by the accuracy of his fire and the coolness of his judgement, put his enemies to flight.” He was present at both the assaults on the Redan, on 18 June, when he was wounded, and on 8 September, when he succeeded to the command of the regiment upon the death of Colonel Eman in that action.

By the time Walter was baptised in the Parish of St. Philip and St. James, Devon, on 20 June 1871, he was a Major General with the family living at Hillsborough Terrace, Ilfracombe.

Early years

The next occasion we encounter Walter was in the 1881 England census – with his active service days behind him, and having become, firstly, a Lieutenant-General on 1 October 1877, followed by his appointment as Colonel-in-Chief of the 28th Regiment on Inkermann Day, 1880 and, on 10 January 1881, promotion to General; Walter’s father had semi-retired and taken the family to live at Stoneborough in East Budleigh. In the house, aside from 9 year old Walter, were his siblings – Norton Henry (19) and Eliza Madlan (18), along with no fewer than four servants and a Governess to minister to the family’s needs. He had other siblings in the form of Julius Henry (21) and Alfred Hunter (17) but these were either away at Boarding School or elsewhere when the enumerator called round.

As a young boy Walter was sent to Blundell’s School in Tiverton for his primary education. He was to retain very strong ties with his old school – at one stage chairing the Old Blundellians Society. He proved to be a versatile pupil – excelling on the sports field in cricket and, especially tennis, sporting pursuits that lasted well into his old age – but he was also a budding thespian – the Western Times of Monday, July 2, 1898 reporting under the banner “Speech Day at Blundell’s School, Tiverton” that he had played the part of Vintner in a special rendering of Shakespeare’s Henry IV. Speech Days were lengthy affairs in those days.


Blundell's School, Tiverton

From there he went up to St. John’s College at Oxford University where he Matriculated on 11 October 1890 at the age of 19. At the time of the 1891 England census Walter was a visitor in the house of Jesse Sargent, a Lodging Housekeeper of 1 Marine Parade, East Budleigh – no doubt having a holiday away from the stresses and strains of his studies.

According to the Register of Oxford Alumni, he was passed for Sandhurst in 1893, having joined the Militia as a University Candidate. On 2 June 1894 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 2nd Devonshire Regiment – the start of a long and illustrious military career where, whilst he didn’t quite emulate or surpass his father’s rank and status, he still acquitted himself well in both the Anglo Boer War and the Great War that was to follow.

A large man at 6 feet tall, he was an imposing figure – one born almost to lead some would say. Having passed his Musketry course at Hythe in 1896 with a 1st Class Certificate, he remained in the United Kingdom until 22 March 1898 on which date he departed for India with his regiment. He was also passed for promotion to Captain in 1898. The Huddersfield Daily Chronicle edition of 24 February 1898 reported as follows under the banner “Troops for India”

‘In the Aldershot district orders on Tuesday the Duke of Connaught gives instructions for the following drafts to proceed on Monday by special train to the Empress Dock, Southampton, and embark on the transport Dunera for Bombay: - The Devonshire Regiment, Lieutenant W.M. Goodwyn, one sergeant, two corporals and 117 privates.’

Anglo Boer War service

Stationed in India until 7 March 1899, he returned home where he remained until 28 February 1900. He must have been champing at the bit whilst on home soil – the Anglo Boer War, between the two Dutch-speaking Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State and Great Britain – had been raging since 11 October 1899 and he had bid farewell to many a comrade in arms who had sailed for South Africa. His time eventually came and in March 1900 he was thrust into the crucible of war.

The 2nd Devons, having sailed on the Manilla about 20th October 1899, arrived at the Cape on 15th November. They were at once sent round to Durban, and, along with the 2nd Queen's, 2nd West Yorkshire, and 2nd East Surrey, formed the 2nd Brigade under Major General Hildyard. They had already seen plenty of action by the time Goodwyn stepped foot on African soil.

At Colenso on 15 December 1899, the Devons, like the remainder of the brigade, were not in the very worst of it; still their losses were serious enough, 9 men being killed, 5 officers and 60 men wounded, and 3 officers and about 33 men missing. When the guns, famously, got into trouble the West Yorks and East Surrey were pushed in that direction, while the 2nd Queen's and Devons went straight for Colenso village, which they actually entered, driving out the enemy. When the order to retire came the Devons were so far forward that they did not all get the command timeously, and Colonel Bullock, 2 officers, and about half a company could not get back. The story is told that the colonel, refusing to surrender, had to be knocked on the head by a Boer as the kindest and firmest method of bringing him to accept the odious facts.

The loss of such a splendid fighting soldier was a most serious one for the battalion. In his despatch of 17th December General Buller says: "Colonel Bullock, 2nd Devons, behaved with great gallantry. He did not receive the orders to retire, and his party defended themselves and the wounded of the two batteries till nightfall, inflicting considerable loss on the enemy, and it was only when surrounded that he consented to surrender, because the enemy said they would shoot the wounded if he did not".

With the loss of the Officer Commanding, several officers and men, including Walter’s brother, Norton, who was awarded the D.S.O for this action, it was small wonder that Goodwyn had been ordered to sail, in part, to augment the officer’s corps of the regiment who were now in short supply. Promotion to Captain came on 24 February 1900 – almost on the eve of his departure. The Exmouth Journal of 17 March 1900 reporting that:

‘We are pleased to hear of the promotion of Lieutenant Walter M. Goodwyn to a Captaincy. The young officer is now at the front with General Buller’s forces, he being in the same regiment (the 2nd Devons) as his brother Capt. Norton Goodwyn, who lately returned to England, having been wounded at Colenso. Capt. Walter must be congratulated on his promotion at such an early age, he only having been in the army a few years.’

Meanwhile in Natal, at the fighting between 16th and 24th January at Venter's Spruit and Spion Kop the Devons were not very heavily engaged. On the 24th they were not far from the fated kop, and all day had to lie longing for a chance of helping their hard-pressed brothers. At Vaal Krantz they had to endure their shelling like the rest of the brigade, and lost 2 men killed and 32 wounded.

In the fighting between 13th and 27th February they again had their share. Their casualties were approximately 6 men killed, 2 officers and 77 men wounded. Ten officers and 11 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in General Buller's despatch of 30th March 1900 for their good work up to that date.


Alleman's Nek where Goodwyn got his first taste of the action

By the time the battle of Alleman's Nek, on 11th June 1900, came round, Goodwyn had joined his regiment as a Company Commander. In this battle, the battalion was escort to the guns, and also sent some companies to occupy a threatened ridge on the right.

After the border was crossed the battalion was chiefly employed on garrison duty at stations on the Natal-Pretoria Railway and in the south-east of the Transvaal. For a time they furnished the garrison of Mount Castrol, an isolated fort in an extremely wild district, while some portion of the battalion frequently did trekking with columns or convoys and skirmishing.

Goodwyn was in operations in Natal from March until June 1900 whereafter he was in operations in the Transvaal from December 1900 until the end of the war on 31 May 1902. In amongst this he was, according to the Exmouth Journal of 10 November 1900, “in Salterton, having been invalided home from South Africa” – this sojourn must have been of short duration as he was back in South Africa shortly thereafter.

For his efforts Goodwyn was awarded both the Queen and Kings Medals with the Natal and Transvaal clasps. These were issued off the medal rolls dated at Standerton on 20 August 1901 and at Southampton on 21 May 1903.

The war over, it would be expected that Goodwyn would return to England, his task done. Not so, the authorities had other plans for him – he was employed with the Transvaal Volunteers with effect from 1 April 1903 until 12 January 1905 in the capacity of Adjutant (Militia). A Memorandum from the Governor’s Office, Transvaal, dated at Johannesburg on 12 September 1904 from Lord Milner and addressed to the Right Honourable Alfred Lyttleton, K.C. M.P., Secretary of State for the Colonies in London read thus:-

‘Sir

I have the honour to inform you that, as the appointment as paid Adjutant of the South African Light Horse Volunteers is about to be abolished, the services of Captain W.M. Goodwyn, Devonshire Regiment, will be available for return to Regimental duty, approximately about the 1st of January 1905.

I shall therefore be much obliged if you will kindly notify this fact to the Army Council, in order that steps may be taken to absorb Captain Goodwyn, when a vacancy occurs.

I have the honour to be

(Signed) Milner, Governor’

Having returned home, Goodwyn was appointed as an Adjutant of the Special Reserve with effect from 1 February 1906 until 31 January 1911. Later that year, at the time of the 1911 England census, Goodwyn, aged 39, was among those listed at the Lucknow Barracks, Tidworth, Andover.

WWI

As he went about his daily duties, the thought of another war would have been far from his mind. It was known in diplomatic circles that the late Queen Victoria’s grandson, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, harboured thoughts of world domination but few would have thought that this was more than just grandstanding on his part. After all, had that by now veteran of British politics, Winston Churchill, not attended manoeuvres with him?

Nevertheless, the world woke up to war on an international scale on 4 August 1914. Germany, along with her Allies, had declared war on Great Britain. Almost without delay, the British Army despatched what men they could to France and Flanders. Goodwyn, having been promoted to Major on 16 July 1914, entered the theatre with that rank on 5 November 1914.


Goodwyn, seated centre, and brother officers of the 2nd devons

The 2nd Devons were in the forefront of the fighting, along with the West Yorkshire Regiment – on 19 December 1914 they were chosen to attack a German trench about 150 yards in front of their main line, south of a farm known (after Tennyson’s poem) as the Moated Grange.

The purpose of this attack was to dislodge the Germans from this position , from which they might enfilade some of the British trenches. Colonel Travers ordered C and D Companies to lead the assault and, after a fifteen minute bombardment, the two companies went over the top. Major Goodwyn’s ‘C’ Company came under heavy fire from their left and were obstructed by fences which ran diagonally across their line of advance. Veering left they ran into barbed wire. Goodwyn was wounded, three officers were killed and a subaltern was also badly wounded.

The 2nd Devons Regimental Diary provided fuller context:-

“18th Dec 1914 - Trenches
CO and Adjt. went to conference at HQ 23rd brigade at 6:45 am

Subject being proposed attack on German trenches at 4:30pm. Devon’s leading 2nd West Yorks in support and 2nd Scottish Rifle and 2nd Middlesex in reserve. After short discussion, conference dissolved till 12 noon. At latter Brigadier, C.O. and Adjt. again met and attack was ordered to hold good as above. CO and Adjt. hastened back to our HQ and telephoned to trenches for company commanders to whom orders were issued.

‘D’ and ‘C’ companies were to lead supported by ‘B’ company. ‘A’ company was to come up on right if called upon. Company commanders only got back to their companies about 10 or 15 minutes before operations were to commence. CO and Adjt. repaired to trenches with party of West Yorks with bombs at 4 pm. 3 of the latter wounded on the way down. Our artillery opened heavy bombardment of trenches to be taken at 4:15. Advance began at 4:30pm. ‘D’ company under Captain Lafone took German trench. ‘C’ company under Major Goodwyn started but owing to latter being wounded at once and not having had time to explain scheme to his officers sufficiently the company lost direction got too much to left, and were caught up in barbed wire, losing heavily; only Lt Joy with a few men finally joining ‘D’ company.

Captain Spencer and Captain Featherstone were killed. Captain Legge missing believed killed. Major Radcliffe DSO, Major Goodwyn, Lieut. Park, Andrews and Cox wounded and 121 NCO’s and men killed wounded and missing. We took 27 prisoners in trench and many Germans were killed and wounded.”

It was at first thought that Goodwyn had been Killed in Action – this must have caused consternation at home, until word filtered through that he had been wounded – a Gun Shot Wound to the head – which must have rendered him senseless. The miscommunication – commonplace in times of war – was compounded by a full-page article in the Illustrated London News of 23 January 1915. This page, entitled ‘Dead on the Field of Honour: Officers Killed in Action’ was festooned with photographs of those who had died, including one of Major W.M. Goodwyn: Devonshire Regiment.”


The Illustrated London News page that caused consternation.

Sent home from France, he was admitted to Queen Alexandra Military Hospital in South-West London on 24 December, being discharged on 15 January 1915 – a period of 17 days where he was under the care of Dr. Herbert Samuelson.

Having recovered from his ordeal, Goodwyn returned to the Western Front and was promoted to Temporary Lt. Colonel while commanding a Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. This for the period from 13 June to 4 August 1915. On 2 September 1915 he was treated at No. 4 Field Ambulance with Catarrhal Jaundice (Infectious Hepatitis), before being sent to 5 Casualty Clearing Station at Corbie, situated in a boys’ school which had been reconfigured for the purpose.

On 11 September 1915 his Jaundice presented again and he was admitted to the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital at Millbank, on the bank of the Thames, for a course of treatment. After 13 days he was discharged to duty on 23 September 1915 whereafter he was appointed as Temporary Lt. Colonel commanding the Service Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment – a post he held from 8 December 1915 to 13 November 1917, seeing some service in Egypt, whence they were sent to defend the Suez Canal, setting sail for Alexandria in December 1915.

The following extract from “The West Yorkshire Regiment in the War” - January 1916 refers:

“Three more battalions, the 15th ‘Leeds Pals—Lieut.-Col. S. C. Taylor); the 16th (1st Bradford Pals—Lieut.-Col. W. M. Goodwyn) and the 18th (2nd Bradford Pals—Lieut.-Col. E. C. H. Kennard) of the 93rd Infantry Brigade, 31st Division were carrying out patrol and guard duties in Egypt along the Banks of the Suez Canal.”

Goodwyn and his battalion embarked at Port Said for Marseilles on 1 March 1916, arriving there on 6 March ex H.M.T. Minneapolis, whereafter they entrained for Pont Remy. Goodwyn, according to the regimental War Diary, was detrained sick at Pont Remy and admitted to hospital on 9 March 1916. On 24 March he proceeded to Boulogne from hospital at Abbeville en route for England.

At some point he returned to the front and was admitted to hospital on 16 December 1916 suffering from Cholecystitis – an inflammation of the gall bladder – being released after 42 days on 26 January 1917. By now he was 45 years of age and had 22 ½ years service in uniform.

The war over on 11 November 1918, Goodwyn was awarded the standard three service medals for the Great War – these were despatched to him at South Raglan Barracks, Devonport. His residential address was provided as Kersbrooke Cottage, Budleigh Salterton, Devon.

Post-war

In 1920 he was elevated to the position of Officer Commanding the 2nd Devons, a position he held until 1922 when he retired from army life.

The 1921 England census has him as the O.C. based at Kitchener Barracks in Quetha, Baluchistan in what is now Pakistan. On 13 June 1923, an article appeared in “The Truth” where, under the heading “The Devons at the Champagne Front” the journalist wrote: -

“My correspondent who wrote a fortnight ago that no notice has been taken in England of the gallant conduct of the 2nd Batt. Devonshire Regiment during the action near the Chemin des Dames (known officially as Bois des Buttes), May 27, 1918, was scarcely accurate.
Lt. Colonel W. M. Goodwyn, late commanding the 2nd Devons, writes,

Some eighteen months ago, whilst I was commanding this battalion in Quetha, sanction was granted by H.M. the King for all ranks of the 2nd Devons to wear a cockade of Croix-de-Guerre riband in the headdress on all ceremonial parades. This privilege was also accorded to a battalion of the Kings Own Shropshire Light Infantry but not, to the best of my belief, to any battalion of the Berkshire Regiment.”

Retirement from military life didn’t, in the case of Colonel Goodwyn, mean a complete break from his beloved Devons. The local newspapers in the 1920’s and 30’s are full of accounts where he is the official regimental representative at many functions, including the funerals of many officers in his locality. But what of romance? Surely a bachelor who was now in his 50’s had allowed this ship to sail? Not so - The Tatler of 6 April 1927 carried the edifying news of the engagement between Lt. Colonel Walter Goodwyn, late the Devonshire Regiment, and Miss Kathleen Day, only daughter of the late Right Reverend Maurice Day, D.D., Bishop of Clonagh. Although no record of this can be found, it appears that the intended marriage never took place – the probate of Kathleen Mary Agnes Day of 49 Heron Lodge, Osborn Road, Windsor, revealing that she died a spinster on 8 September 1980 leaving behind a very substantial amount of £278 470.

Ever the sportsman, Goodwyn soldiered on as a more than competent tennis player, having earlier represented his County he went on, in retirement, to play competitive tennis. Never wasting an opportunity to test his skills on the tennis court, his photograph appeared on page 614 of The Bystander edition of March 27, 1929, together with other members of the Cannes Lawn Tennis Club.


Goodwyn playing tennis at Cannes

In January 1938 he finally tied the marital knot with 59 year old Anne Harper in Marylebone, London. Theirs was not to be a lengthy marriage. Goodwyn at 68, was in his twilight years and, sadly, his wife wasn’t to enjoy his company for much longer – he passed away on 29 May 1939 at the age of 69, survived by his wife – there having been, quite naturally considering their ages, no children of the marriage.

His obituary, which appeared in the local press, read as follows:

“The funeral service took place at East Budleigh Church, on Friday, for Lieutenant Colonel Walter Meredith Goodwyn of New Haven, Budleigh Salterton, for several years officer commanding the 2nd battalion Devonshire Regiment, and who died at an Exmouth Nursing Home (Pencarwick) on Monday of last week.

The youngest son of the late General J.E. Goodwyn of Budleigh Salterton, Colonel Goodwyn was commissioned in 1894 and was engaged with Transvaal Volunteers from 1903 to 1906, and subsequently became an adjutant of the Militia and Special Reserve.

During the Great War he was appointed Temporary Lt. Colonel while commanding a battalion of the Cheshire Regiment in 1915. In the same year he was appointed to command a Service Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. He was twice wounded, and in 1920 he succeeded Lt. Col. J.P. Law in command of the 2nd Devons, retiring in 1922. He held both medals with six clasps for his services during the South African war.”

According to the 1939 Register, his wife, Anne, was still at New Haven but had taken in a companion/helper in the form of Dora Freeman and her small daughter.

Sources used:
- Ancestry for census, probate data and medal rolls (ABW)
- Find My Past and British Newspaper Archive for press reports for period spanning school years, sporting prowess, military progression and obituaries.
- The National Archives for Regimental War Diaries

Thank you for an excellent article, Rory. Excellent supporting photographs too.

Thank you David - what I found quite interesting about Goodwyn was that, in a world (and an environment) where officers were routinely Mentioned in Dispatches, he never quite cracked the nod or was overlooked. His group seems almost "nude" without an oak leaf on the Victory Medal.

Rory