This is a report of death of two Goff brothers Joseph and William and is taken from various sources and newspaper articles
The Loss of Joseph and William Goff
The Goff family of Keeley Lane, Wootton, suffered a devastating blow during the opening months of the First World War when two of George and Emma Goff’s sons were killed within twenty-four hours of one another while serving with the Rifle Brigade on the Western Front.
The first tragedy occurred during the early hours of 17 December 1914, when Lance-Corporal Joseph Zachariah Goff was killed in action. Joseph had enlisted in the Rifle Brigade shortly before his nineteenth birthday in February 1907 and had served for almost eight years before making the ultimate sacrifice.
Serving alongside him was his brother, Lance-Sergeant William George Goff, who had joined the Rifle Brigade in October 1907 and had previously served in both Egypt and India before the outbreak of war. William was informed of Joseph’s death by his Commanding Officer and immediately went to identify his brother’s body. The experience left him deeply distressed. In a moving letter to his half-sister, Lydia Goff (née Pulley), he described how Joseph had been killed instantly by machine-gun fire while observing the enemy through a loophole in the trench defences.
William admitted that he found it impossible to remove Joseph’s personal belongings himself and had to ask another soldier to do so. He promised that, if he survived the war, he would ensure his brother’s possessions were returned to their parents, even if it cost him a year’s pay. He also expressed the hope that one day he might be able to bring his parents to France to visit Joseph’s grave. Having witnessed his brother’s burial, William was obliged to return immediately to the trenches, writing that Joseph had “done his duty as a soldier and a man.” He ended his letter by asking Lydia to visit their parents and offer them comfort, confessing that he was almost heartbroken at having to tell them of Joseph’s death.
The family’s grief was intensified the following day. Before news of Joseph’s death had scarcely been absorbed, Emma Goff (née Pulley) received a letter from Second Lieutenant C. Hunt of the Rifle Brigade. While censoring the battalion’s correspondence, Hunt had seen the postcard William had written informing his parents of Joseph’s death. Regrettably, he had to write again with even more tragic news. William himself had been killed at approximately 7.00 p.m. on 18 December 1914 while advancing against the German trenches. Hunt wrote that William’s death had been deeply felt by his fellow sergeants, a testament to the respect in which he was held by the men with whom he served.
Thus, in the space of little more than a day, George and Emma Goff lost two sons. Their deaths represent one of the many heartbreaking stories of families whose sacrifice during the Great War extended far beyond the battlefield.
William’s surviving military service papers provide a glimpse into his army career before the war. They record overseas service in Egypt and India and note that, in 1911, he received a severe reprimand as a corporal after allowing his men to drink from a native well. Such incidents, however, are insignificant when set against the courage and devotion he later displayed in active service. His final letter home reveals not only the grief of a soldier who had lost his brother, but also his unwavering concern for his parents and his determination to honour Joseph’s memory.
The deaths of Joseph and William Goff were reported in the Ampthill News on 26 December 1914, preserving an account of their sacrifice and the profound loss suffered by the Goff family during the First World War.
Wayne and Sandra's Family History 