Richrd Arthur Godfrey enlisted on 23 August, 1915. He was  26 years old, single and worked as a contractor, and gave his home address as 121 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. His next of kin was his father, Alfred Godfrey, living at 63 Queen Margaret Grove, Mildmay, London. Richard Mildmay was placed with the 12 Reinforcements of the 26th Battalion, which left for Egypt on board RMS Mooltan for Egypt on 12 April, 1916. Perhaps because of his background, Richard Godfrey was made Quartermaster Sergeant.

On 21 May, 1916, Godfrey was taken to hospital in Egypt, suffering from VD. He was transferred to a VD Hospital and was finally released on 13 July, 1916. However, there was another health problem, an iguinal hernia, which meant he was invalided out of the service and sent back to Australia on 17 July from Suez on the Seong Choon. 

He returned to duty on 7 December, 1916, but subsequently deserted from camp and was struck off strength on 24 March 1917 under Camp Routine Order No 1054. He forfeited his war gratuity and received no medals for the short time that he was enlisted.  No other information is available.