Page 9 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side v1

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For a while, normal life went on as best it could and in late September the 67 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
rd
August 23 1914, when under heavy fire, although wounded, Pvt. 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