Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
18th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps C/7757
Sidney was born on 17 July 1892 in Sussex, the son of Annie and Albert E Gooden. His father Albert, who was born in Somerset, was a domestic gardener and the family moved about a great deal in search of work. Consequently the children of the marriage were born in a number of different places. When Sidney was 19 the family lived in Naseby where his father, Albert, worked as a gardener on a large estate. At some time between 1911 and 1918, Albert decided to retire from gardening and he became the landlord of The Chequers, a popular public house in Manor Road, Spratton. Three of the brothers served in the First World War - Sidney, Eric and Hugh.
Sidney was conscripted into the King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1916, aged 24 and was sent overseas with the British Expeditionary Force. On 21 March 1918 the Germans broke through the allied lines and captured the village of Bullecourt, situated on the front line between Arras and Bapaume. On 24 March Sidney was taken prisoner. In December 1918 he was repatriated, arriving at Hull aboard SS Willochra. He arrived home in Spratton in January 1919 with three other returning prisoners of war. The vicar wrote in his Parish Newsletter: "It is a great joy to welcome them back from captivity and suffering - We trust they will speedily regain their strength and be none the worse for the hardships they have endured". Sidney was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
He married Ethel Violet Addington in 1922 and died in Berkshire on 11 January 1961.
MORE INFORMATION
The Chequers, Spratton, in the 1920s
The Chequers, Spratton, in the 1920s
The King's Royal Rifle Corps badge
The King's Royal Rifle Corps badge
EXPLORE SECTIONS
MEN WHO SERVED
- Private Charles Herbert AUSTIN (known as Herbert)
- Corporal Frank AUSTIN
- Lance Corporal James William AUSTIN
- Private John Samuel AUSTIN
- Sergeant William Henry AUSTIN
- Sergeant Bertie Henry BALDERSON
- Corporal Frederick Charles BALDERSON MM
- Lance Corporal Robert Samuel BALDERSON
- Private George William BUCKBY (known as William)
- Private Henry Andrew BUCKBY
- Richard Henry Horne BUCKBY
- Transport Sergeant Thomas BUCKBY MM
- Company Quartermaster Sergeant William Gander BUCKBY
- William Archibald COPSON (known as Archibald)
- Sapper Ebenezer COPSON
- Private Ernest Edward COPSON
- Pioneer Henry Owman COPSON (known as Harry)
- Private James COPSON
- Private John William COPSON
- Private Joseph COPSON
- Private Arthur Sidney GOODEN (known as Sidney)
- Private Hugh Henry GOODEN
- Sergeant Joseph Eric GOODEN (known as Eric)
- Private Arthur Thomas HAYTER
- Driver Frank Leonard HAYTER
- Private Harold Herbert HAYTER
- Lance Corporal John Charles HAYTER DCM (known as Jack)
- Private Walter Ernest HAYTER
- Ordinary Seaman Arthur Charles HORNE
- Private John William HORNE (known as William)
- Lance Corporal Lewis HORNE
- Private Thomas HORNE
- Driver John Henry LEESON
- Corporal Joseph Henry LEESON (known as Harry)
- Thomas Baden Powell LEESON (known as ‘Bard’)
- Private Albert MANNING
- Corporal Amos MANNING
- Private Arthur Cecil MANNING
- Private George MANNING
- Sergeant George William MANNING
- Sapper Henry Stanley MANNING (known as Stanley)
- Private John Thomas MANNING
- Private John William MANNING
- Air Mechanic Nathaniel MANNING
- Driver/Saddler Samuel MANNING
- Gunner George Albert MARTIN
- Private Joseph MARTIN
- Private Thomas Henry MARTIN (known as Harry)
- Private Thomas Walter MARTIN (known as Walter)
- Pioneer Walter Ernest MARTIN
- Sergeant William Higgs MARTIN, DCM
- Private Arthur Walter PAGE
- Private Francis Samuel PAGE (known as Sam)
- Private Frank PAGE
- Private Stephen PAGE
- Lieutenant George REEVE MC MM
- Private Richard Henry REEVE (known as Harry)
- Private Samuel REEVE
- Private Sidney Philip REEVE
- Private Frederick Thomas RICHARDSON
- Private John William RICHARDSON
- Private Percy John Partridge RICHARDSON
- Private Abraham Bert SMITH
- Private Alfred SMITH
- Private Frank SMITH 46648
- Private John Samuel SMITH
- Private John William SMITH (6942)
- Private John William (William John) SMITH (8964)
- Private Charles Walter WADHAMS
- Private John Edward WADHAMS
- Private Thomas Edwin WADHAMS
- Private William WADHAMS