In 1894, Godley took an instructors course for mounted infantry at Aldershot. In March 1896, by which time he had reached the rank of captain, he ended nearly ten years of service with the Dublin Fusiliers and returned to Aldershot as adjutant of the Mounted Infantry School there. Later that year he was selected for service in Mashonaland, to help suppress a rebellion in the British South Africa Company's territories in Rhodesia. After serving with the Special Service Battalion of the Mounted Infantry, he returned to England the following year and was promoted brevet major. Again based at Naas, he resumed his acquaintance with Louisa Fowler, and the couple married in Daventry on 17 September 1898.