Battery Sergeant Major 1702 Nelson Godfrey Royal Garrison Artillery was born 1881 the son of George Gilbert Godfrey and Edith Hannah Pope and brother of James Douglas Godfrey DSC.

In 1891, the family were at the Railway Hotel, Lydd. George is now a hotel manager and surveyor. Edith is aged 37. Children recorded as Beatrice aged 14, James aged 13 a grocers shopman, Fanny aged 10, Nelson aged 8, George aged 6, Kate aged 7, Kate aged 4, Mabel aged 1 and Albert aged 6 months.

Nelson enlisted into the Royal Garrison Artillery on the 7th of November 1899. The 1901 census finds Nelson as a soldier at Lydd Camp with the Royal Garrison Artillery.

On the 3rd of July 1907 at Lydd he married Alice Maria Marshall aged 24 the daughter of labourer Thomas William Marshall.

The 1911 census finds the couple at 2, Old Block, Married Quarters, Cambridge Road, Gosport. The couple have two children Lilly (1906 to 1982) aged 2 born at Gosport and Hilda (1909 to 1976) aged 1 born at Lydd. The couples third child, Jack was born 1911 and died 1972.

In the First World War, his Medal Index Card records that he went overseas on the 17th of September 1914.

He was discharged due to sickness on the 14th of September 1917 and issued Silver War Badge 241659. He was entitled to all three war medals.

He died of his illness on the 7th of November 1917 aged 36 and was buried at Lydd on the 10th.