In Memory Of

WARD, RICHARD GODFREY

Service Details
Age:
 27
Date of Birth:
 -0001-11-30
Service No:
 33568
Rank:
 Private
Unit:
 1st Bn.
Regiment:
 Rand Light Infantry, S.A. Forces
Date of Death:
 1944-08-19
Cause of Death:
 Died of pleurisy, whilst a POW, in Germany
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 10. C. 5.
Cemetery:
 BERLIN 1939-1945 WAR CEMETERY
Localitly:
 Berlin, Berlin
Country:
 Germany
Additional Information
Son of George and Daisy Edith Ward, of Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa. Born Mayfair, Johannesburg. A mason. On ROH plaque in Christ Church in Mayfair. Place of death unknown but believed to be a hospital in Berlin. Godfrey was the best friend of Vincent Davies visited by ourselves 7 December 2002 (from Jenny Spruyt). He described Godfrey as a very popular man who was very kind and considerate. He would not go dancing as his sister Thora who had suffered from polio as a child and had a bad leg could not go dancing as well. He had a bad chest and also smoked which was considered to be the cause of his final death from pneumonia. Godfrey got his brother Jack a job at the same mine he worked at Rand Leases Gold Mine. Vincent Davies worked at the same mine but Vincent was in the stores while Godfrey was an artisan. Vincent Davies described Godfrey as the best friend that he had ever had in his life. The 1st Rand left South Africa from Durban on the ship Earl de France. The troops had travelled from Johannesburg by train. Vincent Davies believed that if he had been able to be in the same camp as his friend Godfrey then Godfrey would have survived the war. The two men were separated when one was at the beginning of a new line and the other at the end of the old line. Stalag VIIIB, Lamsdorf, near Breslau, Germany between Poland and Czechoslovakia was believed to be the Camp Godfrey was in.