Brig. Eric Whitlock Goodman D. S. O. , M. C.
(1893-1981)

Brig. Eric Whitlock Goodman D. S. O. , M. C.

Born: 12 Feb 1893, Merton, Surrey, England
Marriage (1): Norah Dorothy Stacpoole on 25 Sep 1929 in Christ Church, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Died: 8 Dec 1981, Newbury, Berkshire, England aged 88

Family Links

Spouses/Children:

1. Norah Dorothy Stacpoole

Maj. Gen. John David Whitlock Goodman C. B.+

(+ Shows person has known children.)

bullet Birth Notes:

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1860&iid=1860_BurkeFamilyRecs-00271&rc=735,458,831,478;848,458,963,478;976,459,1101,479&fn=Edward+Holbeche&ln=Conchman&st=r&ssrc=&pid=12808

bullet Death Notes:

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=angs-c&gsfn=Eric+Whitlock&gsfn_x=NIC&gsln=goodman&gsln_x=XO&msbdy=1893&msbdy_x=1&cpxt=1&catBucket=rstp&uidh=iof&cp=0&pcat=34&h=48776545&db=ONSDeath93&indiv=1

bullet Sources of information or noted events in his life were:

• Military Service. Royal Artilery. He went to France on 15 Feb 1915 with 121st Heavy Battery, R.G.A. (mentioned in despatches 30 Nov 1915), was Adjutant, 9th Brigade, R.G.A. 1916-17, commanded 119th Heavy Battery, R.G.A. from 30 Jan 1917 to the end of the war (M.C. 1 Jan 1918), served in Iraq 1919-20 (medal with clasp), commanded 5th Bombay Mountain Battery, R.A., Waziristan 1936-37 (D.S.O., mentioned in despatches 16 Nov 1937), commanded 21st Mountain Regiment 1939-40, served in the Ahmedzai Salient (mentioned in despatches 20 Jun 1941), was C.R.A. 9th Indian Division, Malaya 1941 and B.R.A., Malaya Command 1941-42, (mentioned in despatches 1 Aug 1946) and was a prisoner-of-war in Singapore, Formosa and Manchuria 1942-45.
http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/family/goodman.html

And
There is a copy of his war diary at http://www.britain-at-war.org.uk/WW2/Brigadier_EW_Goodman/body_index.html

• Obituary. Brigadier Goodman already had a distinguished career when I served as his Brigade Major when he was CRA 9th Indian Division in the Malayan Campaign off 1941/1942. He had been awarded the MC with 9 Bde RGA in France in the 1914/18 War. He later served in Iraq, India and as an IG at the School. In the Waziristan campaign of 1937 with 5 Mountain Battery he was awarded the DSO.

He was the senior Gunner officer in Malaya and commanded all the artillery until the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. It is not possible without writing a complete history of the campaign to cover the degree of success Brigadier Goodman achieved against all odds, but perhaps two simple facts will bring home his skill, foresight and indomitable courage.

The two Indian Divisions that fought the Japs all the way down Malaya arrived in Singapore decimated to a few skeletal battalions, but the two Divisional Artillery formations arrived in full fighting order and were highly skilled fighters both with their guns and small arms. On surrender we had fired all but some five rounds per gun \endash the last ammunition on the island. Two rounds per gun were used to deny the guns to the Japs though, as I later learnt from him, Brigadier Goodman was himself unable to give the order to do so for ethical reasons, so it had to be arranged otherwise.

The second, is that despite all statements to the contrary, EVERY gun in Singapore engaged the enemy from 15" downwards though Coast Guns are not ideal weapons in a ground role, but I know they were fired as I actually controlled their fire. Brigadier Goodman achieved all this from the front, not the rear, and to my certain knowledge he personally took command and repulsed an enemy flank attack from the sea which, if successful, could have cut both divisions off just North of Kuala Lumpur. Whenever things looked hopeless he was sure to appear in person and by his apparent unconcern for danger restored the confidence of all ranks. To accompany him on these visits was an experience I cherish.

A man held in the highest respect and admiration by all whom he served and all whom he commanded; a man whose military skills averted many a potential disaster, whose personal integrity was clear to all \endash in brief, a true leader of men.

FJHN

Note: FJHN is Major Frederick James Howard Nelson, RA
http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/obituary/goodman_ew.htmll

• Web Based Info. http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=View&r=5538&dbid=1860&iid=1860_BurkeFamilyRecs-00271&rc=735,458,831,478;848,458,963,478;976,459,1101,479&fn=Edward+Holbeche&ln=Conchman&st=r&ssrc=&pid=12808

• Census: UK, 1901. http://search.ancestry.com/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=7814&path=Surrey.Merton.ALL.21.33&sid=&gskw=Ellen+M+Goodman&cr=1

Eric married Norah Dorothy Stacpoole, daughter of Richard John Stacpoole J. P. and Geraldine Norah Isabella Crowe, on 25 Sep 1929 in Christ Church, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England. (Norah Dorothy Stacpoole was born on 25 Apr 1895 in Ennis, Clare, Ireland and died on 7 Mar 1986 in Newbury, Berkshire, England.)

bullet Sources of information or noted events in their marriage were:

• Web Based Info. http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/family/goodman.html

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Caveat:- Throughout the project UK GRO birth, marriage and death index data appears. The GRO data appears in Quarters. Q1 = January, February and March, Q2 = April, May, June , Q3 = July, August and September and Q4 = October, November and December. Similarly, Mar Q = January, February and March, Jun Q = April, May, June , Sep Q = July, August and September and Dec Q = October, November and December. Where these dates occur, they represent the date of Registration of the event rather than the date of the actual event. Logically, registration occurs AFTER the event. In some cases this may be days or months or even years after the event. The important thing is that the event was recorded and a copy of the document of registration could be obtained if necessary. This also applies to South African NAAIRS records.

Similarly, the UK system is confusing to the uninitiated because registration districts can span several counties. Accordingly GRO locations may not record the true location of the event. They do record where the record is actually kept or recorded.

Caveat #2:- I have used URL's throughout the website as sources. The URLs are often from paid subscription sites so you may not be able to access them without an account. Inevitably there are broken URL's. I have been to every URL recorded here and at the time they were operational. In this regard, the Ancestry24 records are a problem. There are numerous references in the South African data citing Ancestry24 records. Unfortunately Ancestry24 has closed down and these records are no longer available on line.

The early South African records on this site would not have been as good as they are without the work done by Delia Robertson. Where there are website addresses containing http://www.e-family.co.za... I record the citation should read Robertson, Delia. The First Fifty Years Project. This website can be found at First Fifty Years