Page 11 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

For a while, normal life went on as best it could and in late September the 67th Cottagers
Horticultural Show was held in Foots Cray Village. The Cottagers came forward with their
usual garden produce and home-made items for judging within the various classes, but
their enthusiasm was missing.

A Foots Cray War Savings Association was soon established, its membership consisting of
the vicar of All Saints, the Rev. Berens-Dowdeswell, Master-baker William Tossell, Captain
C.B. Snell, Mr J.A. Winter, (the much loved Head Teacher of the National Schools), Miss
Fletcher and a group of locally well-known and respected citizens. It was their task to
encourage and collect money to loan to the Government, (led by Ascquith), for the war
effort. Communities across the whole country felt duty bound to help with the
Government’s finances, and it was also an act of faith that England would win the war and
that they would eventually get their money back.

Every week The Sidcup and Kentish Times published reports of local men who had been
injured, were missing or killed in action. Families readily submitted these details, believing
that it was an important duty to inform the public of the sacrifices made by their loved
ones. Information about promotion and heroism was also submitted for publication and
one early story which captured the public’s imagination is that of a former pupil of
Birkbeck School in Sidcup, Private Frank Godley:

“October 1914 - Sidcup Scholar - fought his gun for two hours under hot fire
A former scholar of the Sidcup National Schools, Private Sidney Frank Godley of the Royal
Fusiliers, The London Regiment, has brought honour to his old school by winning the VC
on the battlefield at Mons. On August 23rd 1914, when under heavy fire, although wounded,
Pte. Godley fought for up to two hours, eventually being taken prisoner.”

The pupils of Frank Godley’s former school in Birkbeck Road, Sidcup, regularly sent food
parcels to Frank at his prisoner-of-war camp just outside Berlin and said prayers for him at
their School assembly. He has the distinction of being the very first NCO (non-
commissioned officer) to win the Victoria Cross during the First World War.

In February 1919 Frank Godley was able to attend the award ceremony
at Buckingham Palace to collect his Victoria Cross from King George

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