When Charlie Green was mortally wounded on 30/10/1950 just after the Battle of Chongju, he could think only of the safety of his men. He was conscious enough to ask, "Are the boys all right?" This is the story of one of Green's "boys," John Godfrey.

John Godfrey fought under Green in a forward platoon at Apple Orchard, at Broken Bridge, Chongju and after Green was killed he was to fight in the remaining actions they call the "Stepping Stones." He was in the line for Kapyong and was even there for the first day of Maryang San.

John had joined up when he was 18 leaving his job as a forester in Tasmania - to grow old quickly. Nobody really knows why but John Godfrey actively pursued an "ambition" as he called it, till he was too ill to continue. He wanted to organise a return to the place where Colonel Green was killed in order to place a wreath there. He approached me years ago telling me how he had written over and over to policiticians to get to North Korea to lay that wreath.

Not able to express his inner feelings to anyone, he admitted he tried to get things out in verse, though "it is very amateurish at times." He wrote the above verse, Korea 1950-51. Amateurish? no. Poetry from the heart.

John Godfrey proudly wore the blue US Presidential Citation badge they call "the swimming pool", and went on to serve in Malaya.

He lived in Tasmania, and when he died on 15/1/99, he was a TPI for he had suffered years of illness. He left 4 of 5 daughters for one had predeceased him, and his widow Gisela who gave permission for this to be shared.

Very likely these inner- most thoughts of John's were ever only expressed in this verse.

Service Details: Ian John Godfrey

6391     3 RAR, Korea