Francis Lister Godlee was born at Sliding Rock, South Australia during 1890. He worked as a baker before the First World War. Godlee enlisted for service at Morphetville, South Australia on 26 August 1914. He departed Adelaide aboard HMAT Port Lincoln on 22 October 1914, with the ship also carrying the unit's horses. After training in Egypt, Godlee was in active service with the 3rd Light Horse Regiment, first at Gallipoli and then as part of the Western Frontier Force in Egypt. He served for the duration of the war and returned to Australia aboard SS Port Darwin, disembarking on 25 December 1918. Francis Godlee was discharged from military service on 23 February 1919 and died in 1963.