Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

George Crosbie Godfrey was born George Crosbie Schmidt at Christchurch on 11 October 1880, the only son of Carl Adolphus and Rosetta (née Clark) Schmidt. By 1883 Mr and Mrs Schmidt had settled in Timaru where Carl established a reputation as a builder and community minded man. George and his sister Gertrude were educated at Waimataitai School. Having joined the Public Service, George was probably in Wellington by 1901.

He was a clerk with the Public Works Department when he enlisted on 9 December 1916 at Wellington. Single and of Church of England affiliation, he named his father as next-of-kin – Mr C. A. Schmidt, Trafalgar Street, Timaru. Gunner G.C. Schmidt embarked with the New Zealand Field Artillery of the 26th Reinforcements, departing on 12 June 1917 per the “Maunganui” and disembarking at Devonport on 16 August. George Crosbie Schmidt changed his name to George Crosbie Godfrey by Deed Poll on 11 October 1917. His name was then changed on all records. (Godfrey was his maternal grandmother’s maiden name).

G. C. Godfrey, of Timaru, embarked at Liverpool on 7 February 1919 to return to New Zealand by the “Ajana” (Draft 224), which arrived at Auckland on 25 March 1919 and berthed the next morning after 24 hours’ quarantine. He was discharged on 23 April 1919, no longer physically fit for War Service (Inguinal Hernia), and was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

In 1930 George married Gladys Mowbray Mirams. George Crosbie Godfrey died on 7 October 1941 at Wellington, aged 60 years 11 months. He was buried in the Soldiers Section of Karori Cemetery, a services stone marking his grave. Gladys died on 14 October 1965 and was buried at Karori. George predeceased his parents, both of whom died in 1943 and were buried at Timaru with their infant daughter Ellen Jane Schmidt. On 4 November 1915, George’s sister Gertrude Marguerite Schmidt married William Addy Lee, who was to die of wounds at the Somme on 18 September 1916.

“The death has occurred of Mr G. C. Godfrey, a former secretary of the Marine Department, Commissioner of Unemployment, and Commissioner of Transport. Mr Godfrey, who was born in Christchurch in 1880, was educated at the Waimataital School, Timaru. Joining the Public Service as a cadet in 1897, his promotion was rapid and at the age of 21 he was appointed private secretary to the Minister of Public Works in 1901, visiting England with the Minister. In 1908, when the Minister became High Commissioner, Mr Godfrey was appointed assistant chief clerk of the Public Works Department and became chief clerk in 1914. He was one of the original members of the Local Government Loans Board when it was constituted in 1927. Three years later he was appointed Assistant Under-Secretary. When in the Public Works Department he was one of the original members of the Stores Control Board and of the Office Accommodation Board. An original member of the Main Highways Board he assisted in its work till 1924. He was Secretary for Marine from 1923-1932. Mr Godfrey served in the Great War in the Second Brigade of the New Zealand Field Artillery. In 1930 he married Miss G. M. Buckhurst, a daughter of Mr W. P. Buckhurst. As a young man he was interested in football and rowing and later in golf and fishing.” [Timaru Herald, 11 October 1941.]

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [30 April 2025]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [30 April 2025]; Karori Cemetery headstone image (Wellington City Council) [30 April 2025]; Star, 11 March 1919, Timaru Herald, 13 March 1919, 11 October 1941, Evening Post, 8 October 1941, Evening Star, 11 October 1941 (Papers Past, 15 August 2016; 30 April 2025]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.