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Private John Goodall, born Southam, near Cheltenham; served during the Great War with the 10th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment in the French Theatre of War from, 8.8.1915.
The battalion took part in the ill-fated attack on the first day of the battle of Loos where it was almost annihilated. Having been withdrawn from the front line for regrouping, to pick up any stragglers who might re-join and to receive a reinforcement draft from England, they went into the front line again on the 13th October.
Ordered to attack the German lines west of Lens road, they quickly followed a preliminary artillery bombardment and gas attack at 2pm but failed to reach their objectives due to concentrated rifle and machinegun fire and fell back to their original lines for the loss of 155 killed, wounded and missing.
The months of September and October 1915 had been devastating for the 10th Gloucesters and prevented them from taking any active part in the War until Spring 1916.
Private Goodall was amongst the killed on the 13th October, and having no known grave is commemorated on the Loos Memorial.
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