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144653 Pioneer
FRED GOODINSON
Royal Engineers

By

Lieutenant Colonel Edward De Santis, MSCE, BSAE PE, MInstRE
(January 1983, revised February 2025)

Figure 1.  144653 Pioneer Fred Goodinson, R.E. (Image courtesy of Alfred Goodinson)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author wishes to thank the following individuals for their cooperation in supplying information for this research:

·         Mr. Alfred Goodinson, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

·         Mr. Ernest S.L. Goodinson, Doncaster, South Yorkshire.

·         Mr. William Goodinson, Paignton, Devonshire.

·         R. Wigfield, Head Post Office, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

·         Mr. J.E. Langworth, The Royal Engineers Association, Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

·         The Editor, The Barnsley Chronicle, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

·         The Editor, The South Yorkshire Times, Mexborough, South Yorkshire.

1.      INTRODUCTION

The account of the life of Fred Goodinson was written from information obtained from military histories, both official and unofficial, dealing with the unit in which he served, and the campaigns in which he fought. The photograph of Fred was kindly supplied by Mr. Alfred Goodinson, Fred's brother. Mr. Goodinson was also kind enough to supply much of the detailed information pertaining to Fred's life prior to his enlistment in the Army. This biographical account would have been more complete had the military service records of Fred Goodinson been available to the author. Unfortunately, as we were to learn from the Army Records Centre, his records were among those destroyed by enemy air action early in the Second World War.  Despite this disappointment, I have tried to give as complete an account as possible of Fred Goodinson's life from the information available.

2.      EARLY LIFE AND FAMILY INFORMATION

Fred Goodinson was born on 25 December 1894 at 23 Kelvin Street, Nether Hallam, Eccleshall Bierlow, in the County of Yorkshire.[i]  He was the second child of John Hilton and Martha Alice (formerly Foster) Goodinson. Fred had six brothers and one sister, Hilton, Edwin, Alfred, Lillian, John William, Sidney and Richard.  See ANNEX A -Family Tree.

Prior to Fred's birth, his father had been a Cutler. He worked for J. Rodgers & Company in Sheffield. He later went into heavy steel work and, at the time of Fred's birth, he was employed as a Blacksmith's (Die) Striker.[ii]

In 1891 only Hilton, Fred and Edwin were living with their parents as shown in the census table below.  Their other siblings had not yet been born.

1891 Census of England

By 1911 the Goodinson family had moved from the Kelvin Street address to a new address in Ecclesall, Yorkshire as shown in the 1911 Census below.[iv]

1911 Census of England and Wales

Fred's mother had a married sister living at Stairfoot, Barnsley. As soon as they were old enough, Fred and his brother Edwin went to live with their aunt and uncle in Barnsley. Their uncle, who was a coal miner, was able to find work for both Fred and Edwin in the mines.[vi]  As shown in the census above, Fred was working in the coal mine in 1911.

Both young men continued to work in Barnsley until the war broke out in August of 1914. Edwin, who was only 17 years old in 1914, continued working in the mines, and was still a coal miner when he married in 1918. Fred, on the other hand, was 19 years and 8 months old at the start of the war.

3.  ENLISTMENT AND TRAINING

Enlistment

Fred left the coal mines to enlist in the Royal Engineers soon after the start of the war. Fred enlisted as a Pioneer and was given the Regimental Number 144653.  It may be that patriotic fervor and a desire to get out of the coal mine were both reasons for Fred’s enlistment.    

Training

Following his enlistment  Pioneer Goodinson was posted to the 69^th Field Company, Royal Engineers forming at Hounslow as part of the 12^th (Eastern) Division.[vii] Training in the elements of drill and route marching commenced at once for Fred. Uniforms were scarce and rifles and other implements of war were not immediately available for his training. Initially, Fred was required to drill in his "civvies" with an improvised wooden rifle in order to accustom him to the handling of arms. As his training progressed, Fred was fully equipped to undertake the task of going to war.  Based on available information it appears that he never was posted to the School of Military Engineering (SME) at Chatham, Kent for recruit training.  

4.      POSTINGS, ASSIGNMENTS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE[viii]

Shorncliffe, Hythe and Aldershot (1915)

With his basic recruit training completed, Fred moved to Shorncliffe where the 69^th  Field Company took part in combined field exercises with the 35^th Infantry Brigade. Meanwhile, the organization of the 12^th Division continued. By the end of November 1914, the infantry brigades and their supporting units were concentrated in the neighbourhood of Hythe under the command of Major General James Spens, CB. On 20 February 1915, the 12^th Division marched to Aldershot to complete its training before proceeding to the front. In addition to Fred's company, the 12th Divisional Royal Engineers consisted of the 70^th and 87^th Field Companies and the 12^th Divisional Signal Company, all under the Commander Royal Engineers (CRE) Lieutenant Colonel S.V. Williams, CMG. Each day at Aldershot Fred heard fresh rumors of a move which, however, did not materialize. He underwent more training, more musketry, more drill, and more maneuvers, but still no orders to proceed to the front. Six months had been the general idea as the necessary time to render efficient the men of the New Army to which Fred Goodinson now belonged. So, he waited patiently, as did all ranks. Finally, on 29 of May 1915, nine months after his enlistment, Fred entrained at Aldershot enroute to the port of embarkation for France.

France (1915-1917)

On 1 June 1915 he arrived at a camp near Boulogne and proceeded by train to St. Omer, arriving there on 4 June. On the following day he marched to the Hazebrouck-Boesinghe area, and on 6 June continued the march to the Meteren-Steenwerck area. These two marches were memorable for Fred, as the heat was intense. There was no breeze and no shade. The roads for the most part were paved, and a march of twenty miles on pavement, with a full pack and equipment, proved as severe a test as a new soldier could be asked to perform. The division now commenced its training in trench warfare.

Fred's company was attached to the 27^th Division for the purpose of receiving instruction. On 23 June the period of instruction ended, and Fred was ready to move to the fighting line. The first system of trenches to be occupied by the 12^th Division were those northeast of Armentieres reaching through Ploegsteert wood. These were taken over from the 46^th Division, with the 69^th  Field Company being engaged in working on a reserve trench known as the G.H.Q. Line. Fred spent the months of July and August of 1915 working in preparation for the offensive in the Loos sector. The Battle of Loos commenced on 25 September 1915. The 12^th Division, in the Second Army, was not actively engaged in the operations. On 26 September the division was relieved by the 1^st Canadian and 50^th Divisions. Fred's company received orders to proceed to the Liller-Choques area in preparation for possible participation in the main battle.

The Battle of Loos (25 September to 5 October 1915)[ix]

Fred and the other men were filled with excitement and enthusiasm at the prospect of joining in the fight. By train, bus, and road, the division concentrated on the evening of 28 September in the villages of Busnes, Robecq, and Gonneham.  On the following day, after a march by road, the units reached Fouquieres, Verquin, La Bourse, and Noeux les Mines. Moving into line on 29 and 30 September, the 12^th Division relieved the Guards Division on the line east and northeast of Loos. During the first week in October Fred spent most of his time working on the consolidation of the front line and on the construction of communication trenches. The 12^th Division, now in XI Corps with headquarters at Mazingarbe, commenced side-slipping to the left on 5 October, reaching a position from south of the Vermelles-Hulloch road to a position opposite the Quarries. Plans were made to capture the German position known as the Gun Trench on 8 October. Fred's company was to participate in the attack on the Gun Trench. Unfortunately, the Germans also selected this date to launch a counter-attack. Following heavy artillery and gas attacks the German attack was delivered by 28 battalions in the first line with larger forces in support. The attack was repulsed with tremendous losses to the enemy, and failed to gain a footing in any portion of the British line. On 10 October orders were received for the continuation of the offensive. The 12^th Division objectives were Gun Trench and the Quarries. During the morning of 13 October the advanced divisional headquarters moved to Philosophe, and the bombardment to be followed by the attack commenced at noon. The attack was successful in capturing the Gun Trench and the southwestern face of the Quarries. On 21 October, the 12^th Division was withdrawn from the line and Fred moved into billets in the vicinity of Fouquieres lez Bethune. Fred had thus passed through his first important engagement, gaining great experience from the 21 days spent on the line. Unfortunately, 3,354 of his comrades had been killed or wounded, proof of the division's heroism in action.

Figure 2.  The Battle of Loos, 1915. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

As Fred made his way to the division's rest area he passed along the shell stricken roads littered with broken-up wagons, dead bodies of men and horses recently killed, lying side by side with those who fell in the original attack on 25 September. Before him was scattered everywhere the refuse and horror of war. Having spent five days in the reserve area, during which time the 69^th  Field Company reorganized, refitted, and received reinforcements, the division moved forward, and on 26 October took over from the Guards Division the line facing the Hohenzollern Redoubt: divisional headquarters being located at Sailly La Bourse. Fred found the trench system in this sector in a very bad state. The ground was low lying and much knocked about by the heavy fighting that had occurred there. He found that the few existing dug-outs were waterlogged and that there were no shelters. There was about a foot of water in the trenches which were not boarded, and the churned up clay in the area made progress slow and exhausting. To add to all this, there was heavy rain.

Fred's work in this sector consisted of improvements to the trench system. Early in November he was issued a pair of long rubber boots, and these helped to better his working conditions somewhat. Often, however, they would be pulled off his legs by the sticky mud. In addition to the mud and rain, Fred also had to worry about the systematic artillery fire of the enemy, which brought with it a new terror. Following a dull thud from close behind the enemy lines, he saw his first "minnie", fired by a mortar gun the Germans called Minnenwerfer (mine-thrower). The missile was made from a steel drum, packed with high explosives and scrap iron. When fired, the thing sailed up in the air to a hundred feet or so with a lighted fuse trailing from it, describing a graceful curve as it travelled towards Fred's position. He had a couple of seconds to decide which way to run. It would be the last decision he ever made if he misjudged and ran the wrong way. At last he watched it descend, hitting the ground with a smack. He might have a moment or two to draw a breath and tense up. The devastating explosion threatened to tear him apart from the concussion alone. Trenches were blasted into ruts by these devilish projectiles. Fred was engaged in incessant pick and shovel work to restore anything resembling a parapet or parados. Some of Fred's mates just disappeared and he never saw them go. A Sapper would scratch a hole in the side of the bottom of a trench to get out of the way of trampling feet. A minnie would explode, and the earth above the man would quietly subside on him. Even if the exact spot was known, what was the good of digging him out? In one stroke the man was dead and buried. As if the problems of the cold and the enemy artillery were not enough, the cold weather also caused Fred great concern. The winter weather caused a large number of men to suffer from exhaustion, bronchitis, pneumonia and trench foot.

The 12^th Division was relieved on 24 November by the 15^th Division. By then Fred's company had made great improvements in the trenches. He moved to the reserve area near Lillers with his company. It was a welcomed relief for him, as he had been in the line since 30 September with the exception of only five days.  "Rest" commenced for Fred with inspections of kit, rifles, billets, and of all and everything belonging to the makeup of a soldier. It followed with parades, drills, and route marches, and included constant practice on the rifle range. Additionally, Fred could count on fatigue and guard duty and participation on working parties in support of a division in the line. Yet the "rest" had its lighter side in football tournaments and boxing contests.

On 10 December the 12^th Division moved up once again and relieved the 33^rd Division on the Givenchy sector.  The condition of the trench system here was worse than that encountered in the Hohenzollern Redoubt area. Fred and his company did what they could to make improvements under almost impossible conditions. The country, principally water meadows, was intensely wet and water-logged. The rain had filled the trenches, and even pumping could not overcome the problem.  Along a large portion of the front line the parapet appeared in the form of islands above the water. In other portions of the line the trenches were more or less normal, but inclined to be very wet.

Mining and some small raids were the chief forms of operations in the Givenchy sector during this period. Fire from artillery and trench weapons very rarely ceased, and day after day some part of the front received its turn of bombardment, and casualties occurred. The division's casualties from 12 December 1915 to 18 January 1916 numbered 772 of all ranks killed, wounded, and missing.

On the night of the 18/19 January 1916 the 12^th Division was relieved by the 2^nd Division. Fred marched with his company to the reserve area near Busnes. The reserve billets were not luxurious, but they were warm and relatively safe. He didn’t mind the rats which ran along the beams and rifled his pack. All he wanted was warmth and plenty to eat.

Fred had been in France for eight months and had gone through the fires. Christmas was past, and he thought of the future.  The first few months of trench life had been a kind of dangerous fun to him. It was still fun when not in the trenches.  Up in the front line, however, anything approaching merriment was dead. In the front line there were jokes, yes, but no merriment. He was starved of the joys and pleasures of life. The dreadful winter, coupled with the constant fear of death, and insufficient food, produced a yearning for England and home. He felt that if only he could get leave to see Blighty and know it was really there, he would be able to stick it out. Rumors circulated about leave, and there was much speculation regarding the method of selection and issue of passes.  But leave or no leave, Fred was thankful to get a short respite from the trying winter conditions through which he had just passed. But severe as these had been, they were soon to be exceeded by conditions calling for even greater endurance on Fred's part. Some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting of the war was ahead of him.

During the period in the reserve area many of the division's troops were granted leave. The remainder were trained in open warfare,[x] and two days were spent on maneuvers. A football tournament, held during the period, caused a great deal of excitement among the troops. But this period of relaxation, thoroughly enjoyed by all, eventually had to end. By 15 February the 12^th  Division, with headquarters at Sailly la Bourse, had relieved the Dismounted Cavalry Division, and held the line from the Quarries to north of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, about 3,500 yards, and practically the same front that had been handed over in November. Fred found the conditions vastly improved and the division was to benefit from the hard work it had expended at that time.

Now followed a trying period of mining and countermining in the division sector. Both the British and the Germans frequently exploded mines which normally entailed a struggle, sapping out to the crater, and occupation of the near lip. But the British mining operations were rapidly overhauling those of the Germans, and a scheme had been prepared to destroy their system to give the British the lead underground. It was for the purpose of this operation that the 12^th Division had gone into the line.  Four mines were prepared in the Hohenzollern sector.  These were to be exploded simultaneously, and it was hoped that they would assist in enabling the attacking troops to gain the German front trench. In addition to the Royal Engineers Field Companies of the 12^th Division, the 170^th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers played a major role in this operation. The mines were exploded at 5.45 p.m. on 2 March, with the explosions being immediately followed by infantry attacks. By 9.37 a.m. on 3 March, the general situation was very satisfactory, with division troops holding all the craters and progress being made on consolidation. Heavy fighting continued in the vicinity of the craters for many days until finally the 12^th Division was relieved on 26 April, having suffered casualties amounting to 4,025 of all ranks in this period.

The good work performed by Fred Goodinson and the other Royal Engineers during the "Battle of the Craters" is best summarized by the following communication:

"The General Officer Commanding the 1^st Corps (Gough) wishes to place on record his great appreciation of the way in which the whole operation was conducted.

The points deserving particular credit are:

1. The very thorough and careful preparations previously made by your Divisional Staff, 36th Infantry Brigade Staff, Commanding Royal Engineers, and 170^th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers.

2. The dash and great gallantry displayed by the attacking troops and their leaders, both officers and non-commissioned officers.

3. The devotion, hard work, steadfast resolution and cheerfulness under miserable conditions displayed by all ranks of the battalions and Royal Engineers who consolidated the position and held it against so many counter-attacks and bombardments, and the excellent support which the artillery gave them in repelling these counter-attacks and minimizing hostile artillery fire.

4. Courage and resolution was shown in plenty and to a very high degree by our young officers and non-commissioned officers in the operation, and the General Officer Commanding would like all ranks to be informed of the value of their services.

5. The work of the Royal Engineers, both Field Companies and Tunnelling Companies, also deserves very high praise."

In the rest area, after the "Battle of the Craters," Fred at first occupied his time in overhauling his kit while his company received reinforcements. Afternoons and evenings were free for recreation and unit sports programs were arranged, including football and boxing. On 8 May the poor "maids of all work," the Royal Engineers and the 5^th Northamptonshire Regiment (Pioneers) returned to duty under I Corps on the reserve lines. Thus, Fred's rest period came to an end. On 12 June, after more than two months of working on the Corps reserve lines, Fred and his unit moved south to the III Corps sector near Albert to assist with the preparations for the Somme Offensive. By 18 June, the division was assembled in the Flesselles area, at which place the headquarters were located. On 27 June the division commenced moving up to the front to take part in one of the biggest battles of the British Army, known to future history as the Battle of the Somme. 

The Battle of the Somme (1-13 July 1916)[xi]

In the opening phase of the battle the 34^th and 8^th Divisions of III Corps were to attack La Boisselle and Ovillers, and the 19^th and 12^th Divisions were to pass through and push forward. On 30 June divisional headquarters moved to Baizieux, and the infantry, marching after dark, reached Henencourt and Millencourt by 10 a.m. on 1 July. Meanwhile, the attack had commenced.

Late in the afternoon of that day orders were received to relieve the 8^th Division, and headquarters opened at Henencourt at 11.50 a.m. On 2 July, orders were received for the attack to be continued, the 12^th Division to capture Ovillers. The division attacked on a two brigade front. After aggressive attacks the capture of the unit objectives failed with casualties in the two brigades amounting to 97 officers and 2,277 other ranks. 

Figure 3.  Battle of the Somme, July 1916. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia) 

The Battle of La Boisselle (4 July 1916)[xii] 

The division spent 4 July clearing the trenches and getting back the dead and wounded. Lieutenant Colonel William Bovet, CMG, R.E. replaced Lieutenant Colonel S.F. Williams, CMG, R.E. as Commander of the division's Royal Engineers during this period. The 69^th Field Company, under Second Lieutenant Kelan, the 5th Northamptonshires, and a party of the 8^th Royal Fusiliers dug a new trench from the right of the 12^th Division to join up with the 19^th Division at La Boisselle.

Figure 4.  Lieutenant Colonel William Bovet, CMG, R.E. (Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum)

On 5 July the 12^th Division was transferred to X Corps of the Fifth (Reserve) Army. The next day orders were received to again attack Ovillers, with the attack scheduled for the morning of 7 July. Two days of heavy fighting followed during which the division was successful in capturing the summit of the spur on which Ovillers stood.

The 12^th Division troops were relieved by those of the 32^nd Division during the early hours of 8 July and on the following day the division moved to Contay. Fred and his company marched to billets in the vicinity of Varennes. Thus came to an end one of the severest fights of Fred's military service. The total casualties of his division, from 1 to 8 July inclusive were 189 officers and 4,576 other ranks.

The 12^th Division was now transferred to VIII Corps, and on 10 July moved to Bus-les-Artois. During the next ten days the 69^th Field Company received reinforcements and refitting was carried out. Fred was employed on working parties. On 20 July, the 12^th Division relieved the 4^th Division and returned to the line near Beaumont Hamel. This sector was extremely quiet, and on the night of 24/25 July Fred marched with his company to the Hedauville-Bouzincourt area.

The Battle of Pozieres (23 July – 3 September 1916)[xiii]

Now under II Corps, the 12^th Division was to attack to secure the high ground north and northeast of Pozieres, to destroy the German garrison in the Thiepval area. The attack commenced on 3 August, followed by heavy fighting in the vicinities of Ration Trench and 6^th Avenue Trench between the 4 and 13 August. Fred's company supported the infantry attacks and after the capture of Ration Trench he worked hard on steadily sapping forward towards 6^th Avenue Trench. By their efforts the engineers constructed communication trenches, one at least 500 yards long, which permitted the daylight relief of the attacking troops on the morning following each successful night attack.  About midnight of 13 August Fred and his company left the front line and marched to Bouzincourt. Since going into line on 28 July the 12^th Division had gained three lines of the enemy's trenches on a front of 1,500 yards and to a depth of 500 to 1,000 yards. The division's casualties in this second tour in the Somme battle were 126 officers and 2,739 other ranks.

The Battle of Le Transloy (1-18 October 1916)[xiv]

After marching for five successive days Fred arrived in the vicinity of Arras on 19 August. Trench raids were carried out by both sides in this sector. The 12^th Division remained in the Arras sector until being relieved on 26 and 27 September by the 14^th Division. It left VI Corps for XV Corps of the Fourth Army. The division relieved the 21^st Division on the night of  1/2 October with Fred's company going into a reserve position near Bernafay Wood. The great needs in this sector were floor boards for the communication trenches to save the excessive fatigue entailed by struggling through the mud; and dug-outs to protect forward troops from the incessant shelling. The engineers worked on these tasks, and a very considerable amount of labour was expended in digging one communication trench for each of the two brigades in the front line, and also in repairing the road from Longueval to Flers to make it passable for wheeled transport.

On 7 October an attack was made against Bayonet Trench. The attack was continued until  19 October with much strenuous work being done by the engineers on constructing dug-outs and communication trenches, and on keeping the roads in repair.  The 12^th Division was relieved by the 29^th Division on 19 October and returned to VI Corps near Arras.  During this third effort on the Somme battlefield Fred lost 3,311 more of his divisional comrades.

Fred's trip back to the Arras area was made in a French motor bus, arriving in the vicinity of Warlus on 26 October. Raids and patrols were again the order of the day in this sector. On 17 December the 12^th Division was again relieved by the 14^th Division and Fred's company proceeded to the Grande Rullecourt-Ambrines area.  This was the first real rest for Fred since the opening of the Somme battle on 1 July, and it meant Christmas out of the line for him. The usual cleaning up, refitting, and reorganizing took place, and Fred and his pals scoured the countryside for the orthodox necessities for Christmas dinner. All took great enjoyment from the round of tournaments, races, and various competitions which took place.

On 14 January 1917 the 12^th Division took over a sector of 2,000 yards, extending from 700 yards south of Faubourg St. Sauveur to the River Scarpe. Preparations for a major offensive were begun and training for the forthcoming battle was most carefully and systematically carried on. Planning and training continued during the months of February and March. Although there was so much to be done in preparation for the main battle, an aggressive spirit had to be maintained, and as the command of No Man's Land was very important, raids were frequently carried out.

By 18 March the withdrawal of the German line towards St. Quentin began to show itself near Arras. The engineers were kept busy with a myriad of tasks. In the trenches, in addition to the dug-outs, brigade and battalion headquarters, trench mortar emplacements, aid posts, dressing stations, bridges to cross the trenches, and various stores had to be made. Caves which had been formed by the excavation for chalk were to be adapted as dwelling-places and connected up. The cellars of the Petite Place and Grande Place in Arras were to be made intercommunicating. Tunnels had to be constructed leading from the Main Sewer, along which there was a side-walk, to the caves, and from the caves extending underneath No Man's Land. The caves were fitted with sleeping bunks, kitchens, water supply, sanitation and electric light. A tunnel ran from the Main Sewer through the caves to the front, and in this a tram line was laid. Communication trenches had to be greatly increased and some widened to take stretchers. Positions had to be prepared for the influx of batteries that would come into action at the last moment, and large stores of ammunition installed for them. Dumps of rations and ammunition of all descriptions had to be formed and water stored. All this work naturally fell on the Royal Engineers Field Companies, and on the Divisional Pioneer Battalion all under the control of the C.R.E. Lieutenant Colonel Willim Bovet, CMG, R.E. assisted by his Adjutant Captain Francis Thomas Lee-Norman, R.E.[xv]

Figure 5.  Captain F.T. Lee-Norman, R.E. (Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum)

Fred worked long and hard during the first three months of 1917 in preparation for what was to be his last battle.  While he was busy working on the many engineer tasks so vital for the battle, plans were being made for the attack.  The 12^th Division was to attack with the 36^th and 37^th Brigades, with the Brigades on line to capture the Black Line consisting of the German front system, as well as the Blue Line, a further distance of 1,000 yards, in which were a series of strong redoubts. The 35^th Brigade, which Fred's company would support, was then to pass through and, going forward 2,600 yards, attack the Brown Line, including the Wancourt-Feuchy trench, well wired and containing the strong post known as the Feuchy Chapel Redoubt, on the Cambrai Road. An artillery bombardment commenced along the whole line at 7 a.m. on 4 April, the main objects being the destruction of the German wire and the battering down of the enemy's defences. The dug-outs prepared by the engineers fully justified the labour expended as counter battery fire by the Germans caused only light casualties. The caves and cellars also afforded safety enabling the troops to rest, and in consequence enter the fight fresh and physically fit.

The First Battle of the Scarpe [Arras] (9-14 April 1917)[xvi]

Zero-hour was fixed for Monday, 9 April, and sharp at 5.30 a.m. the leading waves of the infantry advanced to the assault under cover of a creeping barrage. Resistance was rapidly overcome and the front system (Black Line) was occupied on time. At 7.30 a.m. the advance was continued.  This further advance entailed the crossing of Scott's valley and the capture of Observation Ridge, on the western face of which the German second system consisted of a series of entrenched works, heavily wired and strongly defended. The capture of this position did not prove such an easy task, and consequently the Blue Line was not completely captured in the scheduled time. Nevertheless, the 35^th Brigade was ordered to advance according to plan, considering that its appearance of the battlefield would force the Germans still holding out to surrender.

Figure 6.  The Battle of Arras, April 1917. (Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

While the 36^th and 37^th Brigades were conducting the initial assault Fred Goodinson was located in one of the cellars in Arras awaiting the order to advance. Upon receipt of the order his unit moved forward. Fred proceeded through the tunnel to the caves, out into the open, and over the top. By 12.15 p.m. his brigade was passing through the leading elements of the 12^th Division, and at 1.5 p.m. the Blue Line was definitely secured. The real task of the 35^th Brigade, the capture of the Brown Line, now commenced. There was no intervening system of trenches, but opposition was expected at Maison Rouge, and the German batteries were known to be in the valley that had to be traversed. The plan was to capture Feuchy-Chapel Redoubt and its surroundings, and to pierce the line just west of Orange Hill.

The 35^th Brigade pushed forward into very stiff resistance. The 7^th Norfolks seized the Maison Rouge but were brought to a halt before Feuchy Chapel Redoubt. The 7^th Suffolk and 9^th  Essex proceeded to the final objective.  The Essex gained Feuchy Chapel Redoubt, but the greater portion of the attack was stopped by Church Work, uncut wire, and machine guns. All attempts to cut the wire by hand and proceed were frustrated, and a line was taken up along the Feuchy Road. Meanwhile, the 5^th Royal Berkshires, advancing on the left of the brigade, found itself in front of four German batteries of artillery, firing point blank range at 400 yards. Undeterred, the troops charged forward, reached the batteries, and eighteen field guns, four howitzers, and forty prisoners, were captured. The attack continued towards Orange Hill, but was held up by the uncut wire, and finally the 5^th Royal Berkshires took up a line on the Feuchy Road in continuation of the Essex.  No further progress was made before nightfall, and arrangements were made to destroy the wire by artillery fire, and renew the attack on the Nancourt-Feuchy line, on the morning of 10 April.

At daybreak on 10 April the artillery fire opened on the Nancourt-Freuchy Trench, and by noon the 35th Brigade had occupied the position. The final objective of the 12^th Division had been captured.

The Battle of Arras claimed a total of 2,018 men of the 12^th Division, composed as follows:

Killed: 24 officers and 322 other ranks
Missing: 242 other ranks
Wounded: 67 officers and 1,363 other ranks

Fred Goodinson was among these casualties. Fred died of wounds received in the battle on 10 April 1917 at the 8^th Casualty Clearing Station at Agnez-les-Duisans.[xvii] 

5.      MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

Figure 8. The Memorial Plaque. (Image from the author’s collection)

Figure 9.  Fred Goodinson’s Medal Index Card. (Image courtesy of Ancestry.com)

 ANNEX A 

Figure 10. The Family Tree of Fred Goodinson.

ANNEX B

Figure 11.  Certified Copy of the Birth Certificate of Fred Goodinson. (Courtesy of the General Register Office, London)

 ANNEX c
Order of Battle of the 12^th Division in the Great War of 1914-1918. 

35th Infantry Brigade:

7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment

7th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment

9th Battalion, Essex Regiment 5th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment)

36th Infantry Brigade:

8th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)

7th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment 11th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)

37th Infantry Brigade:

6th Battalion, The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

6th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)

7th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment

6th Battalion, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)

Pioneer Battalion: 5th Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment

Royal Artillery:

62nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

63rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

64th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery

65th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery 12th Divisional Ammunition Column

Royal Engineers:

Commanding Royal Engineers:

Lieutenant Colonel S.F. Williams, CMG, R.E.[xviii] ..........................August 1914

Lieutenant Colonel William Bovet, CMG, R.E. .............................July 1916

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Talbot Shakespear, DSO, MC, R.E.…. July 1918

Adjutants:

Captain Frederick Vivian Thompson, R.E.[xix].................................. August 1914

Lieutenant Eric Montagu Tabor, R.E.[xx]............................................May 1915

Captain Francis Thomas Lee-Norman, R.E………………………..September 1916

69th Field Company, R.E.

70th Field Company, R.E.

87th Field Company, R.E.

12th Divisional Signal Company, R.E.

Division Troops

"A" Squadron, King Edward's Horse

9th Motor Machine Gun Battery

12th Cyclist Company

Royal Army Service Corps:

116th Company, RASC

117th Company, RASC

118th Company, RASC

119th Company, RASC

Royal Army Medical Corps:

36th Field Ambulance, RAMC

37th Field Ambulance, RAMC

38th Field Ambulance, RAMC

23rd Sanitary Section, RAMC

Royal Army Veterinary Corps:

23rd Mobile Veterinary Section, RAVC

 REFERENCES

Books

1.      COPPARD, G.  With a Machine Gun to Cambrai.  Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1969.

2.      LETTS, C.  Roadbook of Britain.  Charles Letts and Company Limited, London, 1977.

3.      SCOTT, A.B. (editor).  History of the 12^th (Eastern) Division in the Great War, 1914-1918.  Nisbet & Co. Ltd., London, 1923.

4.      Soldiers Died in the Great War, His Majesty’s Stationery Office, London, 1921.

Census

1.      1901 Census of England (RG 13/4341).

2.      1911 Census of England and Wales.

Civil Documents

1.      Certified Copy of an Entry of Birth, Fred Goodinson, General Register Office, London, 23 October 1981.

2.      Commonwealth War Graves Commission Memorial for 144653 Pioneer Fred Goodinson, R.E.

3.      Commonwealth War Graves Commission Index for Duisans British Cemetery, France, Index No. Fr. 113.

Family Tree

Family Tree, Fred Goodinson (by mamadug5).

Internet Web Sites

1.      Ancestry.com: Family Trees.

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/59166531/person/130191908353/facts?_phsrc=hFr5546&_phstart=successSource

2.      Ancestry.com: Medical Index Cards.

https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1262/

3.      Wikipedia: Battle of Loos.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Loos

4.      Wikipedia: Battle of the Somme.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme#/media/File:Map_of_the_Battle_of_the_Somme,_1916.svg

5.      Wikipedia: Battle of Arras.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arras_%281917%29

Military Documents

1.      Medal Index Card.

2.      Dependant’s Pension Cards.

Periodicals

1.      Battle Honours of the Royal Engineers.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, 1925-1932.

2.      The Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 9 May 1917.

Personal Communications

1.      Letter from Mr. Ernest Goodinson to the author, 17 September 1981.

2.      Letter from Mr. Ernest Goodinson to the author, 11 October 1981.

3.      Letter from Mr. Ernest Goodinson to the author, 7 November 1981.

4.      Letter from Mr. Ernest Goodinson to the author, 28 November 1981.

5.      Letter from Mr. Alfred Goodinson to the author, 17 December 1981.

6.      Letter from the Ministry of Defense to Mr. E.S.L. Goodinson, 29 January 1982.

7.      Letter from Mr. Ernest Goodinson to the author, 5 February 1982.

8.      Letter from Mr. William Goodinson to the author, 26 February 1982.

ENDNOTES