Kenneth Charles Goodyear (1890-1915)
Kenneth Charles Goodyear (1890–1915)
(Photo courtesy of Magdalen College)
Goodyear was a Scholar at Magdalen and was awarded a 1st in Mathematical Moderations in 1910 and a 1st in Jurisprudence Finals in 1912. Like his father, Thomas Edward Goodyear (1862–1934), he became an accountant.
As a detailed account of Kenneth Goodyear is given in his entry elsewhere in Slow Dusk, it is sufficient to say here that he joined the Army as a stretcher-bearer in the 85th (1st/3rd London) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps, in January 1915 and arrived in France with the unit on 18 January. His death is recorded in the War Diary of the 85th Field Ambulance dated 28 September 1915 as follows:
Shortly afterwards Pte SPOONER returned and informed me that his squad of 4 men had been ordered by the M.O. [Medical Officer] of the 29th Field Amb. in the dugouts to go up to the captured German trenches and bring in some of the wounded lying there. They had not proceeded 200 yards when they were hit by a H.E. [high-explosive] shell and No. 345 Pte. Goodyear K.C. and No. 134 Kraninger G[eorge] [1896–1915] were killed and Pte. Lion T[homas] E[dward] (1895–1915), was wounded [mortally]. Pte. Spooner was unhurt.
Kraninger and Lion are buried in Loos British Cemetery, Grave XVI.E.7, and Béthune Town Cemetery, Grave IV.E.37, respectively, which suggests that Goodyear was simply blown to pieces as he has no known grave.
He is commemorated on Memorial 56, Bart’s Alley Cemetery, Loos British Cemetery, with the inscription: “BA Magd. College, Oxford, pure and merry of heart, a great comrade”.
On 8 January1915 he married Nancy Winifred Martin (1893–1993), who then in 1919 married Daniel Lewis McIver (1995–1948).
Some evidence suggests that Goodyear was a pacifist: first, the fact that he joined up as a stretcher-bearer; second, his friendship with Albert Victor Murray, a known conscientious objector; and third, the absence of his name from the War Memorial of his old school, King’s School, Grantham. Two letters exist from Goodyear’s father and mother to Sir Herbert Warren, thanking the President for his letter of condolence on hearing of their son’s death. But although both parents refer to their son’s goodness, neither indicates whether he served as a combatant or a non-combatant. On 25 October 1915 his father wrote: “He did his duty to the best of his ability and gave his life in the service of his country and of his fellow men”; and on 7 November his mother wrote: “when he enlisted in the RAMC, he literally ‘Arose, followed Him’ cheerfully and in perfect confidence”.[1]
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[1] Magdalen College Archives: PR32/C/3/536 and 537.