Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Goddard a Railway Platelayer, born 1851 in Humberstone, Leicester and his wife Sarah Jane a Shoe Lasting Machinist, born 1851 in Luffenham, Rutland. George Harby was born in 1883 in Leicester, his siblings were John, born 1877, Harry, born 1880, Charles, born 1884 and James, born 1886, All his siblings were born in Leicester. In April 1891 the family home was at 49, Ash Street, Leicester, this being situated within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Saviours. In March 1901 George was employed as a Tailor's Cutter and was living in the family home was at 46, Larch Street, Leicester, this being situated within the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Barnabas, with his parents and siblings John, Harry, Charlie and James, and also his cousin Harry Pearson, born 1893 in Wandsworth, Surrey. In April 1911 George was employed as a Tailor's Cutter and had been married for four years to Sarah, born 1881 in Leicester, they had one child, a daughter Edna Mary, born 1907 in Leicester and they were residing in the family home at 11, Trafford Road, Leicester. The service records show that George enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment on the 11th December 1915, giving his home address as 29, Haynes Road, Leicester, his age as 33 years and 7 months and his trade or calling as a Tailor's Cutter, he stated that he was married. He was mobilised on the 23rd June 1916. Information taken from his medical examination which took place at Glen Parva Barracks, Leicestershire on the 30th June 1916 shows that he was 5 foot 8 1/2 inches in height, weighed 130 pounds and had a chest measurement of 32 to 34 inches. He embarked from Folkestone, Kent on the 18th October 1916 and disembarked the same day at Boulogne, France, he was posted to the 6th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment which he joined at Calais, France on the 19th October 1916 and proceeded to his unit which he joined in the field on the 2nd November 1916. He died as a result of shrapnel wounds to his right shoulder and a large compact fracture to his right thigh on the 2nd May 1917. His personal effects comprising 2 diaries, letters, 1 watch and chain, 1 key attached to a chain, 1 cigarette case, pair of scissors, 1 leather purse, 1 cap badge and 1 bag were forwarded to his wife. His wife and two children were awarded a pension of 22 shillings and 11 pence (£1.14p) per week pension with effect from the 19th November 1917. George’s wife Sarah provided the following details on the 20th April 1920 when completing the Statement of names and addresses of all relatives of the deceased, Sarah and George had two children, a daughter Edna Mary, born 14th December 1907 in Leicester and a son Roy, born 29th January 1914 in Leicester, and they were residing at 29, Haynes Road, Leicester. His parents James and Sarah Jane Goddard, were residing at 46, Larch Street, Leicester, his brothers John Edmund resided at 89, Raymond Road, Harry resided at 74, King Edward Avenue, Charlie resided at 47, Trafford Road and James resided at 5, Fernie Road, Leicester. The Medal Index Card shows that George was awarded the British and Victory Medals, roll F/105 B.12, page 1478. An extract from The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914 – 1918, edited by Major General C. R. Simpson C.B. gives the following information; The 6th Lincolnshire of the 33rd Brigade (11th Division) were last mentioned as being out of the line during February and March. On the 28th of the latter month the battalion moved to Orville, and it was not until the 12th April that a move was made back to the front line, the Lincolnshire marching across the Somme battlefields to Haplincourt, a ruined village eight miles east of Bapaume. The 11th Division was now attached to 1st Anzac Corps. The battalion took over “Z” front line in front of Louverval, the defences consisting of a line of posts in front of the village. There was however no great activity in the line and in less than a month the 11th Division had been withdrawn and was sent up north to join the Second Army. The 6th Lincolnshire entrained at Albert on the 17th May and after a quick train journey detrained at Caestre and marched to Thieushouk where they billeted. It would therefore seem that during this period in the front line at Louverval that George would have sustained his wounds from artillery fire, from which he subsequently died. He is mentioned in the Roll of Honour of the aforementioned book.