It all started in Madang, Papua New Guinea.
Born to Canadian and British teachers who met while working in Papua New Guinea, Nichola was born in Madang on May 2, 1980. She spent the first three and a half years living in a rural village on the Trobriand Islands.
As she learned to walk and talk, all she knew was life on the island. One afternoon her father, Tim, went to pick her up from daycare to find her with a machete in one hand and a coconut in the other. Tim exclaimed, “She’s going to cut herself.” Her babysitter replied, “Why? She knows what she is doing,” and Tim watched as Nichola managed to cut the coconut in half. Nichola had watched everyone crack a coconut and when she felt she could do it, she did.
That was how children learned in the village. Nichola’s childhood was unlike most Canadian children’s growing up.
At the age of three, Nichola moved home to Canada.
At the end of January 1984, Nichola and her family returned to Canada and briefly stayed with family in Sault Ste Marie before moving to Black Lake, Saskatchewan, a fly-in Dene community about 60 kms south of the Northwest Territories.
When Nichola’s parents changed jobs and left Black Lake in June 1987, Nichola could speak and understand the Dene language, knew the difference between a ptarmigan and a spruce grouse, and could bait a fish hook and clean a fish. However, she could not ride a bicycle, jump rope, or know any tv shows. She had not been a Spark or a Brownie, nor taken swimming or piano lessons.
As she grew up, Nichola and her two sisters spent time in Dundern and La Ronge, Saskatchewan; Pangnirtung, Baffin Island; Edmonton and Calgary, Alberta; Arnprior, Ontario; and Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
In grade 12, Nichola applied to the Royal Military College.
In the fall of 1997, Nichola was in grade 12 and the military did a presentation at her high school in Antigonish, Nova Scotia. She became enamored with the possibilities. “Free education and a job for five years after graduation,” said Nichola one night after dinner.
The day after Nichola’s graduation, she flew to Montreal and begin Basic Officers Training Course (BOTC) at the Saint-Jean Garrison in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu before completing four years at the Royal Military College.
Nichola graduated from RMC with an honours degree in English, fully bilingual, and trained as an artillery officer. She was posted to the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in Shilo, Manitoba. In Shilo she lived in married quarters on the base with her husband, Jason, 2 dogs, and 2 cats.
Nichola’s training continued as she took courses and advanced from 2nd Lieutenant, to Lieutenant, and then Captain. Soon after, Nichola was sent to CFB Wainright to train for the Afghan mission.
In February 2006, Nichola arrived in Afghanistan.
Nichola arrived in Afghanistan in January 2006 as a forward observation officer. On May 17, 2006, Nichola was killed during a firefight in the Panjwaye District that was was part of a joint two-day operation with Canadian and Afghan troops.
As troops were moving into a mosque to capture 15 alleged Taliban members, several dozen hidden militants began firing from neighbouring houses. As a crew commander, Nichola was standing half-exposed in her LAV III, which was hit by two rocket-propelled grenades early in the battle. The battle ended after approximately 45 minutes, shortly after an American B-1 Lancer dropped a 225kg bomb.
The two-day operation saw Nichola, an Afghan National Army soldier, and 40 Taliban killed, as well as approximately 20 Taliban captured.
Nichola was posthumously awarded the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) on October 27, 2006, and her husband Jason became the first widower to receive the Memorial Cross (also known as the Silver Cross)
Read the book:
Canada’s Daughter
Written by Nichola’s mum, Sally Goddard, Canada’s Daughter shares family stories from Papua New Guinea, Canada, and Afghanistan, including Nichola’s letters home from Afghanistan before her death.
“A stunning portrayal of one of Canada’s bright stars who was taken from us much too soon. Not to be missed.” - Jill Stroud.
Help support strong female leaders.
The Captain Nichola Goddard Fund supports strong female leaders, like Nichola, who stand on guard for Canadian values around the world. All proceeds support national community programs that support servicewomen, Veteran women, and their families.