---

 

Private Adam Godfrey

 

Adam Godfrey was born on 17 February 1894 at 10 Bentham Street, Belfast, one of around five children of general labourer Edward Godfrey and his wife Mary (née Halliday). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 2 Brittania Street, Belfast, with his parents and three siblings, and working as a machine boy.

Godfrey enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 1 September 1914 (No.1096). On 2 June 1915 he embarked for France with a reinforcement draft for A, C and D Squadrons.

At some point in the next year, however, Godfrey fell ill, and on 27 July 1916 he was discharged, being 'no longer physically fit for war service' (paragraph 392 (xvi), King's Regulations). His illness, described as 'debility', was attributed to his military service, and he was granted a pension.

Soon after the war Godfrey was living at 54 Elm Street, Belfast, and working as a carter. On 21 August 1919 he married widow Adeline Swain (née Jackson) at St Andrew's Church of Ireland Church, Belfast. By 1957 he had retired and was living at 17 Renfrew Street, Sandy Row. He died that year on 18 June.