John Harold GOODENOUGH (1884 - 1934)
Royal Welch Fusiliers

1914-15 Star

A Casuality of The Great War.

 

Private John Harold Goodenough Royal Welch Fusiliers 1914-15 Star   John Harold Goodenough was born at Portland, Dorset on the 23rd July 1884, son of William David Goodenough, a coastguard of Guernsey and Mary Ann Goodenough (née Picot of Jersey). His parents had married at St. Saviour, Jersey on the 21st May 1865. John Harold worked as a general labourer and was living with his parents at Portland at the time of the 1901 census.

On the 9th August 1912 he married Alice Maud Du Feu at The Registrar's Office in the Island of Guernsey. Entry No 62. 1912 August ninth. John Harold Goodenough. Major. bachelor. miner. Of 6 Piette Road St. Peter Port. Father William David Goodenough (deceased), Mariner. Alice Maud Du Feu. Major. spinster. Of Crofts Lane, Vale. Father Philip John Du Feu, Gardener. Married in the Registrar's Office according to the law by Licence by me A.H. R...? Registrar. John Harold Goodenough, Alice Maud Du Feu. Wits: Philip John Du Feu, Ruth Emily Wright. The couple moved to Bridgend, Glamorgan, Wales where John was employed in the coal mines and they had seven children, Doris, Philip, David, Lillian May, Emily, Robert and Clifford. On the 30th December 1914, John followed the call to fight for King and Country and enlisted as a Private Goodenough J.H. 19218 Royal Welch Fusiliers. His regiment saw action on The Marne, Ypres and The Somme. In April 1916, he was invalided home suffering from shell shock and neurasthenia. (Now known as Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome). He was discharged from the army on the 31st May 1916 and awarded The Silver War Badge No 4820. This badge was given to all soldiers who were disabled and honourably discharged. John also awarded the 1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. He never forgot the horrors he had experienced in France and found it very difficult to find a job or settle down to Civilian life. The family moved to London and finally as he was unable to find work he took his own life on 21st November 1934 at 8, Lonsdale Road, Southall. Middlesex. Registration District Uxbridge. Sub-district Hayes. County of Middlesex. Entry No. 91. 21st Nov. 1934 8 Lonsdale Rd. Southall Norwood U.D. John Harold Goodenough. Male. 51 years. Coal-miner 8 Lonsdale Road Southall. Cause of death Suicide by domestic Coal Gas poisoning whilst temporarily of unsound mind. No P.M. Registered by Cerificate received from Reginald Kemp Coroner for West Middlesex. Inquest held 23rd November 1934. Twenty third November 1934. J.N.Warren Deputy Registrar. He was buried in Southall-Norwood Cemetery. Grave No 113 Sub. Section 0. Ground Section C..

The West Ealing Gazette published details of the Inquest :-

FOUND DEAD IN SCULLERY.
Southall Man's gas suicide.
"Too old wherever I go".
A verdict of "suicide whilst of unsound mind" was recorded at the inquest at St. John's Hall, Southall, yesterday, on a Southall man who was found dead in the gas-filled scullery of his house on Tuesday morning.
Mrs Alice Maud Goodenough, of 8, Lonsdale road, Southall, identified the deceased as John Harold Goodenough aged 51. He had been in a bad state of health ever since the war, when he was invalided home suffering from shell shock and neurasthenia after 18 month's service with the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Of recent years he suffered from carbuncles, and being out of work was generally in a low , depressed state. He never threatened to take his life, but frequently said that he was of no use. He did not come to bed on Monday night, and on going downstairs on Tuesday morning witness found a note on the table. Frightened to read it, she called neighbours.
The West Middlesex Coroner ( Mr. R. Kemp J.P. ) then read the note as follows:-
"Dear Maud, don't blame me for what I am about to do. If I had work this would not have happened. I find I am too old wherever I go. I guess I am to blame. I think if I had lived any longer it might have been something worse."
Full of Gas.
Mr. George Ernest Burton, of 9, Lonsdale Road, said the deceased had always seemed depressed. Called shortly after six on Wednesday morning he found Mr. Goodenough lying on the floor. His head was covered up and the room was full of gas. One tap of the gas stove was on.
Another neighbour, Mr William Nicholson, of 6, Lonsdale Road, related how he had the doors and windows opened and shut the gas off at the main. Pulling away the clothes that covered the body he found a gas pipe leading from the copper with gas still coming from it.
Dr. H.Smith gave evidence that he saw Goodenough at about 6.30 lying on the floor in the scullery. There was still a smell of gas and a pipe by his head. He had been dead for some hours, the cause of death being coal gas poisoning.
In recording the verdict stated above, the Coroner said there was no doubt that the deceased had died from coal gas poisoning, and that it was a case of suicide whilst temporarily of unsound mind. Deceased had been in a depressed state and suffered from neurasthenia.

POSTSCRIPT
After his tragic death his family went their various ways. His daughter Lillian May (born 15 JAN 1916 at Bridgend) married James Mayburn Burton, son of their neighbour when the family were living in Lonsdale Road, on the 31st October 1936 at St. John's Church, Southall. James Mayburn Burton was my wife's uncle.

John Harold's widow, Alice Maud, returned to Guernsey, where she died in 1982.
Death Register.
Entry No 156. 1982 March twelfth 2 a.m.. Alice Maud Du Feu widow of John Harold Goodenough.
Age 89. Parents Philip Du Feu, Alice Brehaut. Died at Residence Flat 11 La Quelle ( ? Guelle) Flats, La Vrangue St. Peter Port. Cause of death 1 (a) Congestive cardiac failure. (b) Coronary heart disease. Dr B. P. Webber. Registered 16th March 1982.

REFERENCES: BMD certificates, photos and medal card in the possession of Michael Gater. No trace of Army Service Records which were probably destroyed with many others in the London blitz.

Mike Gater
Channel Islands FHS
2014