Boer War & WWI medals to A. Goodman - a Telegraphist

Original Boer War and WWI medals to:

Alfred Goodman, Sapper, Telegraph Battalion, Royal Engineers – Anglo Boer War
Sapper, S.A. Field Telegraph & Postal Corps – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 9504 Sapr. A. Goodman, Tel. Bn. R.E.
- British War Medal to Pte. A. Goodman, S.A.F.T. & P.C.

Alfred Goodman was born in Bradford near the town of Manchester in Lancashire in 1877. 

The 1901 England census showed a 24 year old Alfred still living with his parents at 13 Bath Terrace, Lockwood, Huddersfield. He was gainfully employed as a Telephone Inspector and given his occupation, it would have come as no surprise when he finally enlisted for service at Halifax on 26 August 1901 – he chose the Telegraph Battalion of the Royal Engineers – a natural fit.

On attestation he was, physically, found to be 5 feet 8 ½ inches in height weighing 129 pounds and with a sallow complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. He had no marks about his person and was a member of the Church of England. Having been pronounced fit for the army he was assigned the rank of Sapper and no. 9504.

Each section of a telegraph division was supplied with twenty miles of line, part of it being air-line and part insulated cable. A two-horse cart carried the latter, and there were three six-horse waggons for the air-line, besides other vehicles for supplies, technical equipment, and baggage. During the Boer War the Telegraph Battalion’s section laid 18,000 miles of telegraph and telephone cable. A total of 13,500,000 messages were handled in 4 years and the Battalion grew in strength from 600 to 2,500 men.

Goodman saw action in the Transvaal earning for himself that clasp to his Queens Medal along with the clasps South Africa 1901 and 1902. He took his discharge from the Royal Engineers in South Africa on 31 July 1902.

Having elected to remain in South Africa Goodman sought employment and a wife – he found both, employment with the Post Office and a wife in the shape of Lilian. 

Goodman, now 38 years old, enlisted with the South African Field Telegraph and Postal Corps for service as a Sapper in WWI and with no. 1013 on 15 April 1915. He was employed as a Linesman and was sent to German South West Africa aboard the “Professor Woerman” on 27 April 1915. On arrival he was posted to Rehoboth where he was when peace was declared in July 1915. On 31 August 1915 he was posted to Military Posts and Telegraphs being discharged shortly thereafter. Goodman’s wasn’t a long war but he had seen enough service to earn the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal (the whereabouts of the first and last of these is unknown).

Alfred Goodman passed away at Addington Hospital in Durban on 7 October 1951 at the age of 74 years 7 months. He had been resident at 25 Bayswater, Pickering Street, Durban and was survived by his wife Ida Lilian Carlisle Goodman (born Hart) and two sons, Alfred Richard and Douglas Carlisle. 

Postnet @ R100 in South Africa