| Godden | Henry Tufton | | Captain | GODDEN, HENRY TUFTON, Major, was born 6 December 1858, in London, son of Frederick Mares and Sarah Mary Godden. He was educated at the Royal Naval School, New Cross, and at private schools and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; entered the Bedfordshire Regiment 13 August 1879; was Adjutant, Bedfordshire Regiment, 1 January 1888 to 3 December 1891, and became Captain 7 March 1888. He served in the Dongola Expeditionary Force in 1896, as Brigade Major, 3rd Brigade; operations of 8 September to 5 October 1896; was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 3 November 1896], and received the Egyptian Medal with clasps for Firket and Hafir. He served in the Nile Expedition of 1897 (clasp to Medal); in the Nile Expedition of 1898, and was present at the Battle of Atbara; was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 24 May 1898]; received a clasp to Medal; the English Medal, and in recognition of his services in Egypt and the Sudan, including the Battle of Atbara, was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 15 November 1898]: "Henry Tufton Godden, Captain, The Bedfordshire Regiment". The Insignia were sent to the GOC, Egypt, and presented to the Commandant of Suakin at Suakin. He became Major 10 July 1899. He served in the Nile Expedition of 1899; in the first advance against the Khalifa (clasp to Medal). He was Acting Governor of the Red Sea Littoral and Commandant at Suakin 29 April 1898 to 6 March 1899, and Administrator and Commandant at Suakin 7 March 1899 to 25 March 1902; received the 3rd Class Medjidie [London Gazette, 19 April 1901], and the 3rd Class Osmanieh [London Gazette, 26 September 1902]. He retired from the Army in 1906. On 11 January 1911, at Fremantle, Western Australia, Major Godden married Amelia Marguerite Axell (English), second daughter of A Axell, of Sittingbourne, Kent, and they had one son, Philip Axell Godden, born 16 November 1911. Major Godden returned to England 29 November 1914; was posted to the 9th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment 15 January 1915, as Major; appointed Second-in-Command of the 9th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment 21 January 1915, and appointed to command the 9th Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment 7 February 1915, and was replaced on retired pay 14 June 1916.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Bedfordshire Regiment |
