Claude Gould

Claude was discharged from Auxiliary Units to join His Majesty's Forces 16th April 1943. He joined Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) and served in India and later Singapore.

The son of Ethel (nee Harris) and Arthur. He married Edith Halls in 1934. He was the brother-in-law and great friend of Auxilier Hedley Harris. Between their houses, in a cutting, ran the railway line loop which joined Victoria Road (Great Western) Station, with Barnstaple Junction Station. Claude and Hedley used to talk across the cutting.

Claude worked as a cabinet maker before and after the war for Shapland & Petter.

18 April 1952 The Ilfracombe Chronical carried the report of a Conscientious Objectors Tribunal in Bristol concerning Claude. It read;

Ex-Serviceman was successful before the South - Western Conscientious Objectors’ Tribunal at Bristol on an for exemption from reserve service. He is Claude Gould of Kingsleys, Newport, Barnstaple. He told chairman of tribunal (Judge E H C Wethered): "I have felt for a long time that war is a wicked and unnecessary way of settling human affairs and I entered the war with grave misgivings. At that time I felt unable come right out against war I was not quite certain to do” he continued “My experiences both during and since the last war have convinced me that is no way to overcome evil other than with good. Killing another human is utterly wrong and can never solve anything. I joined the Army against my better judgment but feeling reluctantly I would give the country benefit of doubt. As soon as I was in Army I realised I had done something terribly wrong but also realised there was no out. I could not put any enthusiasm into any job I had to do except when I was put in charge of some natives in India who in my opinion were being badly treated. I was able in a small way to show them a little humanity. I mention this because it has stuck in my mind as the only worthwhile act I able to do in three-and-a-half years. All the time I was the Army I felt like I was being a cheat and a hypocrite not to have come right out against war as I had fully intended to do. I betrayed my principles once by allowing myself to be drawn into Army and am now quite resolute that such thing shall not happen again”.