Sergeant George H Godwin

George Godwin joined the Territorial Co.of the North Staffs. Regiment early in 1939 and was mobilised with them on the outbreak of WWII.

After serving with them for a little over a year and following a period of service at the Regimental Depot, Lichfield, Staffs., he was transferred for administrative duties to a camp where the nucleus of the 1st British Parachute Brigade was being raised by Brigadier Gale, who became CO of the 6th Airborne Division in 1943. George became a member of HQ Coy, 2nd Parachute Battalion. He was parachute jump trained at RAF Ringway.

He was with the Parachute Troops right from the day of their formation in 1941 and served with them right through the North African campaign and for a period in Italy. Research suggests that he is listed as the Rations NCO on the 1st Sea Tail, August-October 1944.

His Service and Pay Book contains hand-written notes of the ships which carried him to various destinations during his service. They are:

Scythia : UK to N.Africa

Royal Ulsterman : N.Africa to Italy

Ville D'Oran : Italy to N.Africa

Samaria : N.Africa to UK

Samvern : UK to France and return to UK

Awarded the Certificate of Merit by C in C, Field Marshal Montgomery for good service. George later became a Freeman of the Borough of Stafford. 

George joined the Reserves 19 January 1946 and subsequently resumed his civilian job as an accountant at English Electric Company, Stafford, in the Fusegear Department.

He died on 2 June 2007 in Stafford at the age of 94