The railway bridge at Nimy, looking out from where Godley was positioned

A memorial stone is to be unveiled to commemorate one of the first Victoria Cross winners of the First World War.

Private Sidney Godley VC, of the Royal Fusiliers, won the medal for his defence of the Nimy railway bridge during the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914.

Under fire

Godley climbed up an embankment under heavy fire and took over a machine gun that had been set up to shoot across the bridge. He was eventually wounded and captured after running out of ammunition.

Lieutenant Maurice Dease won the VC for the same action and was killed within a few feet of Godley. He is buried at St Symphorien Military Cemetery near Mons.

The cemetery is one of the sites on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Retreat from Mons Remembrance Trail, which follows the course of the battle during the last days of August 1914.

Private Godley’s memorial stone will be laid on the top step of the war memorial in his native town of East Grinstead, Sussex.

The memorial plaque on the railway bridge at Nimy on the outskirts of Mons