John Godwin

Who was John Godwin?

Temporary Lieutenant John Godwin, RNVR was a British soldier. Born and brought up in Argentina, he took part in a raid named Operation Checkmate on Axis shipping near Haugesund, north of Stavanger, Norway. His party managed to sink a minesweeper and a number of steamers using limpet mines, but he was eventually captured with the rest of his party, a commando sergeant, two Naval Petty Officers and three seamen. After spending some time in Grini concentration camp, they were sent to Sachsenhausen concentration camp, where contrary to the Geneva Convention, they were forced to march thirty miles a day on cobbles testing army boots.

On 2 February 1945 they were led to execution, in accordance with Hitler's Commando Order of 1942. Godwin managed to wrestle the pistol of the firing party commander from his belt and shot him dead before being himself shot. No superior officer witnessed this act so a decoration could not be awarded. However, his bravery was mentioned in dispatches.