Sergeant Joseph Godfrey

Sergeant Joseph Godfrey was the son of Jonathan and Isabella Godfrey, and husband of Margaret Godfrey, of Paisley, Renfrewshire. He served with 3rd Parachute Battalion and was deployed to North Africa, as part of Op Torch.

The Battalion took part in a parachute drop to take Bone aerodrome, in Algeria. The drop was accurate and the whole group came down on or close to the aerodrome. However, the jump was not carried out like training jumps the Battalion had become accustomed to in the UK. Most paratroopers found they had a much heavier landing than expected. This was put down to one of two reason; firstly, the atmosphere in Algeria, which was said to be thinner than that in England, and secondly, the fact that most men were carrying far heavier loads than they ever had before. There were thirteen parachuting injuries were sustained.

Sergeant Stevens, of 16 Para Field Ambulance recorded the following:

Thursday 12th November 1942.
Emplaned 0530 hours. Took off from approx 0600 hours with strong escort of Spitfires. Target located and dropping took place on Bone aerodrome at approx 0830 hours. No resistance encountered and aerodrome successfully occupied. About 12 DZ casualties were sustained including one fatality (Sergeant Godfrey 3rd Battalion), remainder of casualties treated at First Aid Post set up in aerodrome building and six of the more serious were later evacuated to the Civil Hospital at Bone. Field Ambulance Section spent remainder of day salvaging equipment from DZ.

Sergeant Godfrey died on 12 November 1942, aged 28 years old. He is now buried at Bone War Cemetery, Annaba in Algeria.