William John Goode.
Image courtesy Sydney Mail.
Born in Orange in 1889, William John Goode was the second of two sons born to Dr George Goode and his wife Harriette.
William’s family moved to Orange in the mid 1880s where, in 1888, George was appointed medical officer at Orange District Hospital. He later became Government Medical Officer and public vaccinator for the Orange district.
William and his older brother, George, attended Orange Public School until the family relocated to Camden. The brothers were educated at King’s College at Goulburn, where William served in the cadets.
When WWI broke out William was working at Mort’s Dock in Balmain as a marine engineer. He was one of the first men to enlist, doing so on 18 August 1914.
William joined the 4th Battalion as a Private, embarking for Egypt in October 1914. On 1 January 1915 William was appointed Corporal. He was part of the first contingent of troops to land at Gallipoli on 25 April. Nine days later he received a gunshot wound to the head. He was transferred to No 17 General Hospital at Alexandria in Egypt where, four days later, he died of his wounds.
Corporal Goode is buried at Chatby Military Cemetery at Alexandria in Egypt.
William’s brother, George Noakes Macawlay Goode, also enlisted in WWI. He died of wounds in Belgium on 12 June 1917.
Leader, 29 May 1915, p. 6.
WJ Goode killed
