Source: Middlesex Roll of Honour



Summary of Service for Private Alfred Goodman, reg. no. 400829
Date | Event | Remarks |
October 28, 1894 | Born | Wicklow, Ireland |
Circa 1900-14 | Emigrated to Canada | |
April 19, 1915 | Enlisted | Enlisted with the 33rd Overseas Battalion at London, Ontario. He was 21-years and 6-months old and stood 5’ 11” weighing 175 lbs. He was an unmarried farm labourer and listed his father, William Goodman of Rathdrum, County Wicklow, Ireland as his next-of-kin. He listed his faith as Church of England. |
October 1915 | AWL | AWL one day per October paylist. |
November 1915 | AWL | AWL four days per November paylist. |
March 1, 1916 | Assigns Pay | Assigns $20.00 per month to his father, William Goodman, Rathdrum, Wicklow, Ireland. |
March 13, 1916 | Unit Sails | Leaves Canada aboard the SS Lapland. |
March 26, 1916 | Arrives England | Arrives England aboard the SS Lapland. |
May 16, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to the 18th Battalion. |
May 17, 1916 | Arrived | Arrived at Canadian Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
June 4, 1916 | Proceeded to Join Unit | |
June 7, 1916 | Arrived | Arrived at the 18th Battalion in the field. The Battalion was in the front line having relived the 20th Battalion at Trench 28 and 32 in the St. Eloi sector on June 5, 1916. On the 7th the War Diary relates: “Position as yesterday. Under authority A/13734 A.Gs. Branch Sgt. W.P. Cole appointed Temp. Lieut. 2 o.r.s wounded. 2 o.r.s (sick) admitted to hospital. 4 o.r.s returned from Base hospital.” It is possible he actually arrived on the previous day as that day the War Diary shows that 24 men of other ranks arrived as reinforcements. |
August 4, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 6 CFA for PUO. |
August 8, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 5 CFA for PUO. |
August 8, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 2 Divisional Rest (RD) Station of PUO. |
August 14, 1916 | Released | Released to unit. |
September 15, 1916 | Wounded | Wounded during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, he is transferred to what I believe is the 1/3 N’umb Field Ambulance (possibly French Territorial) with a wound to his right elbow from a shell. |
September 17, 1916 | Transferred and Admitted | Transferred to No. 25 General Hospital, Hardelot, France. |
October 1, 1916 | Proceeded to Join Unit | |
October 5, 1916 | Joined Unit | Rejoined the 18th Battalion on duty at the Somme. |
April 12, 1917 | Killed in Action | Circumstances of Death Card states ‘“Killed in Action” in the trenches in the Vicinity of Vimy.’ The 18th Battalion War Diary makes no mention, for several days in April 1917, about casualties. On this date the Battalion was serving near the Black Line Objective and had made some changes in disposition due to the state of manpower and the position the Battalion had at that time. On the date of Private Goodman’s death, the War Diary relates: “At dusk an Internal relief was completed, disposition of Battalion being 2 Platoons of “C” coy, and all of “D” coy in front line, and remaining 7 platoons in support. This considerably weakened our front line garrison but was approved by the G.O.C. 4th Brigade owing to our commanding position. During the night, Patrols under Lieut. Eastwood covered our frontage no enemy being seen or encountered.” |
April 20, 1917 | Burial Report | The Canadian Corps Registration Office reports he was buried at S.30.a.85.20 (military map coordinates) Sheet THELUS. Grave Serial No. CB-19A |
June 18, 1919 | Exhumed and Re-Buried | Private Goodman’s remains were exhumed and reburied on this date at the Boise-Carre British Cemetery, Thelus, France at plot iii.C.10. He is buried with two other comrades of the 18th Battalion. |
Post War | Medals and Decoration | Medals and Declorations forwarded to William S. Goodman, Esq., Derrycarne, Dromod County, Lestrim, Ireland. |
December 2, 1920 | Memorial Scroll Despatched | Scroll serial number 22856 sent to father. |
August 31, 1921 | Memorial Plaque Despatched | Plaque serial number P5021 sent to father. |
Acronyms
AWL | Absent Without Leave: Generally, a soldier would be deducted 1-days pay for every day absent. In some cases, the soldier would be confined to barracks. Sometimes it was a combination of both. |
A Classification | Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. A1, A2, A3 and A4 were assigned to different units with the expectation that these men would be able to serve with active combat units. See this link for more information. |
B Classification | Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. B1, B2, and B3 were assigned to different service units such as railway and forestry corps. See this link for more information. |
D Classification | See this link for more information. |
CAMC | Canadian Army Medical Corp |
CB | Confined to Barracks: a punishment for minor infractions. |
CCD | Casualty Convalescent Depot: a depot at a base where men, in their final stages of convalescing, would be prepared for duty depending on their rating. |
CCH | Casualty Clearing Hospital |
CCRC | Canadian Corps Reserve Camp |
CCS | Casualty Clearing Station: this facility was attached to rail transportation from the front to hospitals on the coast of France |
CDC | Canadian Dispatch Camp |
CFA | Canadian Field Ambulance/Canadian Field Artillery. Most common usage would be Canadian Field Ambulance. |
DAH | Disorderly Action of the Heart |
DRS | Divisional Rest Station |
GSW | Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds. |
In the Field | This term relates to a soldier arriving at an active-duty unit after transporting from England, to France, and then to his duty assignment. The routing varied from soldier to soldier and could take 2-3 days to several months. |
MD | Military District |
PUO | Pyrexia of Unknown Origin: This was a term used for any illness that could not clearly be identified and typically was related to influenza symptoms. |
SOS | Struck Off Strength |
TOS | Taken On Strength |
CAMC | Canadian Army Medical Corp |
CCH | Casualty Clearing Hospital |
CFA | Canadian Field Ambulance |
DRS | Divisional Rest Station |
GSW | Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds. |
MD | Military District |
PUO | Pyrexia of Unknown Origin |
SOS | Struck Off Strength |
TOS | Taken On Strength |
WORD | Western Ontario Regimental Depot |