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General Sir Alexander John Godley GCB, KCMG (4 February 1867 – 6 March 1957) was a senior officer in the British Army. He is best known for his role as commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and II Anzac Corps during the First World War. Born in England in 1867, Godley joined the British Army in 1886. He fought in the Boer War and afterwards served in a number of staff positions in England. In 1910 he went to New Zealand as Commandant of the New Zealand Military Forces. Promoted to temporary major general, he reorganised the country's military establishment. Following the outbreak of the First World War, the New Zealand government appointed him as commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, which he led for the duration of the war. During the Gallipoli campaign, Godley commanded the composite New Zealand and Australian Division, before taking over command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps for the final stages of the campaign. Promoted to lieutenant general, he had a brief period in command of I Anzac Corps before being given command of the II Anzac Corps. He led the corps for most of its service on the Western Front. Regarded as a cold and aloof commander, his popularity was further dented in October 1917 when he insisted on continuing an offensive in the Ypres salient when weather and ground conditions were not favourable. His corps suffered heavy losses in the ensuing battle. In 1918, II Anzac Corps was re-designated as British XXII Corps and he led it for the remainder of the war. After the war, Godley spent time in occupied Germany as commander of firstly the IV Corps and then, from 1922 to 1924, the British Army of the Rhine. In 1924 he was promoted to general and was made General Officer, Commanding, of England's Southern Command. He was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1928 and was Governor of Gibraltar for five years until his retirement in 1933. During the Second World War he commanded a platoon of the Home Guard. He died in 1957 at the age of 90. ==Early life== Alexander Godley was born in Chatham, Kent, England, on 4 February 1867, the eldest son of William Godley, a British Army captain of Irish heritage. His father's brother was John Robert Godley, the founder of Canterbury, New Zealand. When Godley was 13, his father died leaving the family in dire financial straits.〔Wards, 1966, pp. 814–816〕 Godley intended to enter the Royal Navy but changed his mind and chose to pursue a career with the British Army. With the aid of his family's connections,〔 he was educated at Haileybury College and entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1885. He was commissioned into the Royal Dublin Fusiliers the following year as a lieutenant,〔McGibbon, 2000, pp. 201–203〕 and became the unit's adjutant.〔 An enthusiastic horseman, Godley engaged in hunting and polo, becoming extremely proficient in the latter sport.〔 He later played in the first international polo match between England and Argentina at the Hurlingham Club in Buenos Aires.〔Laffaye, 2012, p. 37〕 To supplement his pay, he trained polo ponies.〔 Godley remained with the Fusiliers until 1896, at which time he was promoted to captain and appointed adjutant of the Mounted Infantry at Aldershot. Later that year he volunteered for service in Mashonaland, where he assisted in the suppression of a rebellion in the province. After serving with the Special Service Battalion of the Mounted Infantry, he returned to England the following year and was promoted brevet major.〔Groves, 1996, pp. 190–192〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Alexander Godley」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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