Jonty Goodwin, 3rd Baron Ashgrove
The Lord Ashgrove | |
|---|---|
 Lord Ashgrove, pictured in 1926 (aged 31) | |
| 15th Governor-General of Satavia | |
| In office 1 January 1927 – 8 April 1928 | |
| Monarch | Richard XIII |
| Prime Minister | Sydney Warwick Edward Limes |
| Preceded by | Arthur O'Connell |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Westanquay |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 5, 1895 Morwall, Kingdom of Estmere |
| Died | April 8, 1928 (aged 33) Government House, Port Hope, Dominion of Satavia |
| Cause of death | Killed in action |
| Resting place | St Patrick's Cathedral, Port Hope |
| Parent |
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| Alma mater | University of Morwall |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Template:Country data Estmere Kingdom of Estmere |
| Branch/service | Estmerish Army |
| Years of service | 1916-1926; 1927-1928 † |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Borish Guards |
| Battles/wars | Kireno-Estmerish War |
| Awards | !vc, GWM |
Jonathon "Jonty" Edward James Arthur Goodwin, 3rd Baron Ashgrove, VC, GWM, MD, CSM (5 January 1895 - 8 April 1928), was an Estmerish soldier and politician. Goodwin was born in Morwall, Estmere on 5 January 1895, the only son of the wealthy Estmerish aristocrat and politician Arthur Goodwin, 2nd Baron Ashgrove. Goodwin's father was appointed Governor of the Hope Province in February 1895, and at the age of one month, Goodwin moved to Port Hope. Goodwin lived in Port Hope until 1903, when at the age of eight his father's term as Governor ended and the family moved back to Estmere. Ashgrove attended Wyndsom College, where he first met James Warwick who was four years his junior and the two struck up a friendship. Goodwin attended the University of Morwall, where he obtained a degree in law before joining the Estmerish Army.
His service in the Estmerish Army saw him fight in both the Battle of Varrock and the Battle of Princeton, where he demonstrated good soldiering abilities. By 1926, Goodwin had obtained the rank of captain but was restless in the military. He left the army that year and began to peruse a career in politics. However, Admiral Sir Arthur O'Connell, who had served as Governor-General of Satavia for nearly 15 years, ended his term as governor at the beginning of 1927. Goodwin had been struggling to kickstart his political career in Estmere and consequently Richard XIII, whom Goodwin had been friends with, suggested that he take the office of Governor-General and replace O'Connell.
Goodwin's appointment was much derided in Satavia, and Port Hope locals jeered him upon his arrival in the city on 28 December 1926. Nonetheless, he carried out his duties as Governor-General dutifully, and despite his relatively short stint as Governor-General, he is now regarded highly by historians and Satavians (a 2008 poll named him the second-best Governor-General, after Arthur O'Connell). At the outbreak of the Great War, Goodwin appealed to Richard XIII to persuade Estmerish Prime Minister Victor Chadbourne to prioritise the defence of Satavia, to no avail.
Nuvanian troops landed at Missionaire Baai, under four miles from Port Hope's outskirts, in the early hours of the 3 April 1928. Oscar Harrison, the highest ranked military commander in Satavia, and GOC Satavia at the time, made many poor decisions during the Defence of Port Hope that both Lt. Gen. James Warwick and Goodwin himself disagreed with, but both were overruled on more than one occasion. By 8 April, Nuvanian forces had battled their way into the centre of Port Hope. King's Park, where Government House was situated, soon became the front line. Despite Harrison and Warwick both urging Goodwin to leave, Goodwin refused and assisted in the Defence of Government House. At approximately midday on the 8 April, Goodwin was killed whilst defending the building, which would sustain heavy damage in the fighting. Government House was abandoned later that afternoon, and the next day Harrison surrendered the city to the Nuvanians. On the recommendation of Warwick, Goodwin was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the action at Government House, and in 1937 he was also posthumously awarded the Great War Medal by the Satavian government.
Despite the reception of his appointment, Goodwin is now regarded highly for his time spent as Governor-General. He was originally buried in St Richard's Cemetery by the Nuvanian army, before being re-interred at Ashgrove House in 1938. In 1980, he was re-interred again at St Patrick's Cathedral and was accorded a state funeral.