Part 202

=WOOD, LEOFRIC=, Private, No. 2049, 11th Battn. 3rd Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, 4th _s._ of Frederic Wood, of Wrington, co. Somerset, Solicitor, by his wife, Amy Elizabeth, dau. of George Pizey, late of Clevedon, Somerset, M.R.C.S.; _b._ Wrington, 22 Aug. 1894; educ. Clarence School, Weston-super-Mare; was for some time in the Accountant’s Office of the British Imperial Tobacco Co. at Bedminster, but in April, 1912, went out to Western Australia; volunteered after the outbreak of war, and enlisted in the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force, 27 Jan. 1915, did three months’ training at Perth; sailed for Fremantle with the 5th reinforcement for the 11th Battn. in April, arrived at Cairo towards the end of May, and landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula 15 June, and after six weeks in the trenches died from dysentery, 2 Aug. 1915; _unm._ Three of his brothers are with the Colours, Dubric as a motor-cyclist despatch rider, with the Expeditionary Force in France, Godric with the R.E., in France, and Wilgric, O.T.C., Bristol, and a fourth brother, Yetric Wood, is a Midshipman R.N.R., training on H.M.S. Excellent at Portsmouth.

=WOOD, ROBERT=, Stoker, Petty Officer (R.F.R., A. 1933), 161053, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WOOD, THOMAS=, Leading Seaman (R.F.R., B. 9935), 215158, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct 1914.

=WOOD, WILLIAM=, Corpl., No. 2300, 1/17th Battn. (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), 3rd _s._ of Arthur Wood, of 260, Oxford Street, Stepney, E., Bricklayer, by his wife, Mary Ann, dau. of the late William Whale; _b._ Mile End Road, London, E., 12 Nov. 1894; educ. Trafalgar Square, White Horse Lane, and Cooper’s Company School, Bow; was a Clerk at C. & E. Morton’s, Ltd., Milwall; enlisted, 1 Sept. 1914; went to France in March, 1915, and was killed in action in the attack on Hill 70 during the Battle of Loos, 25 Sept. 1915; _unm._ The Sergt. of his platoon wrote of him saying that “he fought like a man until the end, and was cheerful throughout.” While at school he won the Junior County Scholarship 1906, and passed the Oxford Senior Local Exam. at the age of 16.

=CARTER-WOOD, JOSEPH ALLAN=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, only _s._ of Joseph Edmund Carter-Wood, of Skinburness Tower, Silloth, co. Cumberland, by his wife, Evelyn Alice, dau. of Brig.-Gen. Alexander William Adair, of Heatherton Park, Somerset, late Coldstream Guards, who served in the Crimea; _b._ London, 3 Nov. 1884; educ. at Mr. Burgess’ School, Epsom, and Uppingham; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Coldstream Guards, 10 Oct. 1914, and promoted Lieut.; went to the Front, 22 Jan. 1915, and was killed in action at Cuinchy, 1 Feb. 1915; _unm._ Buried in the military graveyard there. His Commanding Officer, Col. Pereira, wrote: “Your son had only been in the battn. about a week, but in that short time his company commander, Capt. Leigh-Bennett, had found him a most useful and invaluable officer”; and Col. R. Drummond Hay: “For even though your boy had been in the regt. such a short time he had shown what good metal he was made of, and in spite of his health was already a very valuable addition to our strength. Some few of our youngsters showed themselves born soldiers from the first, and he was one of the few.” Lieut. Carter-Wood was a good landscape painter, and had had several pictures hung in the Royal Academy and other exhibitions; he was also a keen fisherman and game shot.

=WOODFORD, WILLIAM THOMAS=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 2050), 205828, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=WOODGATE, CHARLES ARTHUR=, R.N.R., Skipper, 217 W.S.A., H.M. steam-drifter Linsdell; reported missing after the sinking of the Linsdell by a mine, 30 miles off the East Coast, 3 Sept. 1914.

=WOODHOUSE, GEORGE=, A.B., J. 10624, H.M.S. Laurel; killed in action in the Heligoland Bight, 28 Aug. 1914.

=WOODLAND, HERBERT EDWIN=, Boy, 1st Class, J. 26779, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=WOODNUTT, GEORGE HENRY=, Private, No. 11559, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of George Woodnutt, of 16, Brewer Street, Brighton; _b._ co. Sussex; served with the Expeditionary Force in France; killed in action, 4 March, 1915. Buried 500 yards past the Le Touret turning on right of Bethune-Richebourg Road _via_ Rue du Bois; _unm._

=WOODROFF, HENRY=, Private, No. 1426, 1 Coy. 14th Battn. 4th Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, 2nd _s._ of the late James Woodroff by his wife, Jessie Sarah (27 E Block, Peabody Buildings, Shadwell, E.), dau. of James Maclachlan; _b._ Stepney, 12 April, 1883; educ. Broad Street School, Ratcliffe, E. Was employed for some years at a cork manufacturers, afterwards went to Australia, where he worked in an iron foundry. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, 29 Nov. 1914, and died of fever, in the Base Hospital, Egypt, 19 July, 1915; _unm._

=WOODROFFE, KENNETH HERBERT CLAYTON=, Lieut., 6th Battn. Rifle Brigade, attd. 2nd Battn. The Welsh Regt., 3rd _s._ of Henry Long Woodroffe, of Thorpewood, Branksome Avenue, Bournemouth, by his wife, Clara, 3rd dau. of the late Henry Clayton; _b._ Lewes, co. Sussex, 9 Dec. 1892; educ. Rose Hill School, Banstead, Marlborough College, and Pembroke College, Cambridge (Classical Exhibitioner); obtained a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the Cambridge University O.T.C. Oct. 1912, and was gazetted to the 6th Rifle Brigade, 15 Aug. 1914, and promoted Lieut. April, 1915; went to France early in Nov., being attd. at the Front to the 2nd Welsh, and was killed in action during an attack on the German trenches at Neuve Chapelle, 9 May, 1915; _unm._ He was mentioned in Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April-31 May [London Gazette, 22 June, 1915]. Capt. Gilbey wrote: “Your son was killed yesterday in an attack near Neuve Chapelle. He was with the leading platoon, and was the man to get nearer the German front line trenches than any other. He was killed in the way that every soldier would wish to be killed, leading his platoon gallantly in the attack. His death was quite instantaneous; he was shot through the head. By his death I personally have lost a very good and true friend, and the regt. a fine and most gallant officer. At Festubert before Christmas he commanded one of our companies in an attack with great success, for which his name was included in our list of recommendations sent in to the Brigade. Later at Givenchy, against the German attack on 25 Jan., he brought up his platoon under heavy fire, leading his men most gallantly.” At Marlborough College he was Senior Prefect. Capt. of the O.T.C., Athletic Champion, member (Capt. 1912) of the cricket XI, 1909–12; football XV and hockey XI. In his school days he was a good bat as well as bowler, and it was his all-round cricket and leadership that turned the match at Lord’s against Rugby in 1912. When he went to Cambridge he was more or less content to concentrate his cricket on his bowling. It is exacting work to bowl on those plumb wickets at Fenner’s, but the Hon. Harry Mullholland was satisfied with Woodroffe, and gave him his “Blue” as a freshman, 1913, and he took six wickets in his first (1913) Oxford and Cambridge match at Lord’s. He played cricket as fast bowler for Hants C.C.C. in 1912 _v._ South Africans (5 wickets); and for Sussex C.C.C. in 1914.

=WOODROFFE, LESLIE, M.C.=, Capt., The Rifle Brigade, 2nd _s._ of Henry Long Woodroffe, of Thorpewood, Branksome Avenue, Bournemouth, by his wife, Clara, 3rd dau. of the late Henry Clayton; _b._ Lewes, co. Sussex, 17 Oct. 1885; educ. Junior House, Brighton College, Marlborough College, and University College, Oxford (Classical Scholar), and on leaving there became an assistant master at Shrewsbury School, where he remained until the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914. He had received a commission as Lieut. (unattd. List, T.F.), 1 July, 1910, and was in the Shrewsbury School O.T.C., and immediately volunteered for foreign service. He was gazetted Capt. 8th Rifle Brigade, 27 Dec. 1914; went to France in May, 1915; was severely wounded at Hooge in July, and was only able to return to his regt. 1 June, 1916; was again wounded on the day of his arrival, and died in hospital from these wounds on the 4th; _unm._ Buried near Bethune. He was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in the field at Hooge, 1915. While at Marlborough College he was head of the school, and was in the cricket XI and football XV; at Oxford he took a first-class in Mods, and a second class in Lt. Hum. His two brothers, Kenneth and Sidney Woodroffe, V.C., were also killed in action (see their notices.)

=WOODROFFE, SIDNEY CLAYTON, V.C.=, 2nd Lieut., 8th (Service) Battn. The Rifle Brigade, 4th and yst. _s._ of Henry Long Woodroffe, of Thorpewood, Branksome Avenue, Bournemouth, by his wife, Clara, dau. of the late Henry Clayton; _b._ Lewes, co. Sussex, 17 Dec. 1895; educ. Rose Hill School, Banstead; Marlborough College, gained a Classical Scholarship at Pembroke College, Cambridge; gazetted 2nd Lieut., 8th Rifle Brigade, 23 Dec. 1914; went to France 25 May, 1915, and was killed in action at Hooge, Flanders, 30 July, 1915; _unm._ He was awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette, 6 Sept. 1915] “For most conspicuous bravery on 30 July, 1915, at Hooge. The enemy having broken through the centre of our front trenches, consequent on the use of burning liquids, this officer’s position was heavily attacked with bombs from the flank and subsequently from the rear, but he managed to defend his post until all his bombs were exhausted, and then skilfully withdrew his remaining men. This very gallant officer immediately led his party forward in a counter-attack under an intense rifle and machine-gun fire, and was killed whilst in the act of cutting the wire obstacles in the open.” At Marlborough he was Senior Prefect, Capt. of the O.T.C., and member of the football XV (1912–13–14), hockey XI and cricket XI. Lieut.-Col. R. C. Maclachlan wrote: “Your younger boy was simply one of the bravest of the brave, and the work he did that day will stand out as a record hard to beat; later I will try to get you a more or less definite account. When the line was attacked and broken on his right he still held his trench, and only when the Germans were discovered to be in rear of him did he leave it. He then withdraw his remaining men very skilfully right away to a flank and worked his way alone back to me to report. He finally brought his command back and then took part in the counter-attack. He was killed out in front, in the open, cutting the wire to enable the attack to be continued. This is the bald statement of his part of that day’s action. He risked his life for others right through the day and finally gave it for the sake of his men. He was a splendid type of young officer, always bold as a lion, confident and sure of himself too. The loss he is to me personally is very great, as I had learnt to appreciate what a sterling fine lad he was. His men would have followed him anywhere.” His elder brothers, Lieut. K. H. C. Woodroffe and Captain L. Woodroffe, were both killed in action (see their notices).

=WOODROFFE, WILLIAM JOHN=, Private, R.M.L.I., 8842 (R.F.R. Ch. B. 816), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WOODS, ARTHUR WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class, Chatham, S.S. 105687, R.F.R., B. 8977, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; _m._

=WOODS, BASIL HAMILTON=, 2nd Lieut., 1st East Lancs. Field Coy. Royal Engineers (T.F.), elder surviving _s._ of William Henry Woods, of Ravenstone, Hale, Cheshire, Mechanical Engineer, by his wife, Norah, dau. of Charles Greville Williams, F.R.S., F.C.S.; _b._ Chorlton-cum-Hardy, near Manchester, 18 Aug. 1891; educ. Repton School (where he was a Sergt. in the O.T.C.), and Oriel College, Oxford, was given a commission in the Reserve of Officers, which he resigned early in 1914 to take one in the East Lancashire Territorial Division, R.E., 16 April, 1914; went to Egypt with the East Lancashire Division in Sept. following, and was killed along with a number of N.C.Os. and men, 17 Dec. 1914, while on active service on the Suez Canal, by an explosion on a launch, supposed to be caused by a German mine, and was buried with full military honours in the Suez Cemetery.

=WOODS, CHARLES=, Stoker, R.N.R., 1676U, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WOODS, EDWARD WILFRED=, Signal Boy, J. 24461, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=WOODS, MAURICE=, Seaman, R.N.R., 5005A, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WOODWARD, WILLIAM=, Private. R.M.L.I., Ch./11382, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=WOODWARD, WILLIAM BERNARD=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4608), S.S. 103734, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=WOOKEY, FREDERICK MAURICE=, A.R.C.S.I., 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. Royal Irish Regt., only surviving _s._ of Frederick Wookey, of Weston Lodge, Leixlip, co. Dublin, J.P., a member of the firm of Wookey & Son, Ltd., Washed Flock Manufacturers, by his wife, Fanny, dau. of Colin McCalman; _b._ Rathmines, co. Dublin, 1 July, 1887; educ. privately; Campbell College, Belfast, where he won two scholarships; and the Royal College of Science, Dublin, passing in with a scholarship and obtaining the distinction of a pass “with credit” in 13 of the 16 examinations, and was awarded the Diploma of Associateship in the Faculty of Engineering. After this he went to Sir Howard Grubb’s for about a year, thence to the British Westinghouse Co., Manchester, for practical knowledge of all kinds of engineering, in order that he might qualify himself to take charge of his father’s factory, Electric Lighting, etc. Here he for some time worked for Mr. Bissett in the Large Machine Drawing Office, and was afterwards transferred to Production Department where he remained until 1913, when he returned to Leixlip. He was first Secretary and then Director of Wookey & Sons, but gave up everything when war was declared. He joined the O.T.C. about 6 Aug. and on Tuesday, 8 Sept. 1914, enlisted as a Motor Despatch Rider in the Reserve Signal Corps of the Royal Engineers, leaving for Chatham that day. He was given a commission at the Front, dated 14 Feb. 1915, and learning from his Commanding Officer that they wanted to fill up the gaps caused by casualties he joined the 1st Battn. of the Royal Irish, though he could have come home for training either in the Artillery or Royal Engineers. He was fatally wounded, when leading his company at St. Eloi on 15 March, 1915, after his Commanding Officer, Col. Forbes, had been wounded at Cross Roads, and died at No. 2 Clearing Hospital, Bailleul, on Friday the 19th. He was buried in the military portion of the cemetery there on Tuesday morning the 23rd; _unm._ Writing to his father the Acting Adjutant, Lieut. T. E. H. Taylor, said: “Two motives prompt me in writing to you concerning the death of your son, 2nd Lieut. F. M. Wookey. One is that I wish to do so in my official position as Adjutant (Acting) of this battn. and the other is that I wish to tell you how proud I am of the perfect coolness and gallantry with which your son advanced with his men, up that fir-swept street of St. Eloi, until he was wounded. In common with all old Campbell College boys, I am proud to be able to say I was a schoolfellow of your son’s. Your son was with “C” Coy.--Commanded by Major Lillie with another subaltern, called Gordon-Ralph. In the hurried rush into the village of St. Eloi, under a very heavy fire, our companies got very scattered. Major Lillie collected some of his company, and advanced to the assault. Your son, also, got together as many as he could, and went, at the head of his men, straight for the barrier held by the Germans. Our assault had to be made, straight up the street, in the face of a deadly fire from rifles and machine-guns, both in front and on our right flank. I was with the Commanding Officer, and helped him to a place of safety when he was wounded, during which time the assault had advanced further up the street. When I returned from carrying Col. Forbes back to safety, I found that the assault had been checked by the enemy’s fire. We had then reached to within 30 yards of the enemy’s barricades, but all in front had been either killed or wounded, and those who could do so proceeded to occupy the houses on both sides of the street. In this first rush Major Lillie was killed--also Lieuts. Fottrell and Ford, and your son was severely wounded--evidently by machine-gun fire--in the legs. I did not see him, myself, but this was reported to me by a survivor who returned, and had seen your son fall. No one could get up to the killed and wounded, as the Germans kept up a heavy fire, and, by means of their flare lights, they could see the slightest move on our part. Just before dawn, on the 15th, some men who had got into a ruined house just opposite where your son fell, were able to get to him, and brought him in from the street behind the end of the house. He was then safe from the enemy’s fire. The poor fellow lay there all that day--no one could get back from that place with him. Next day the Germans allowed us to take back some of our wounded, and we brought him in to the dressing station, from where he was sent to No. 2 Clearing Hospital, Bailleul. I spoke to him, while he was being carried in, asked him how he felt, and he answered, in his quiet, cheery way, “These are great lads, to bring me back now.” He did not seem to be in any pain at all, in spite of one of his ankles being completely severed by the machine-gun fire. I went back later, to the dressing station to see him, and found that all his wounds had been dressed, and that he was sleeping peacefully on a stretcher. The doctors feared that the shock of his wounds would prove fatal, but hoped for the best. That was the last I saw of your son. I can realise what his loss means to you, and all his family. Our present Commanding Officer has asked me to try and express to you how very much we all sympathise with you in your sad bereavement. His death has been a most noble one. His example, which he set to the men who followed him that night, to almost certain death, was one of the features of the fight of which all of us are most proud.”

=WOOLF, NATHAN=, Rifleman, No. 2520, 17th Battn. (Poplar and Stepney Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of Morris Woolf, of 14, Lincoln Street, Bow, E.; _b._ Commercial Road, E., 5 Aug. 1894; educ. Jews’ Free School, Birmingham; joined the week after mobilisation; served with the Expeditionary Force in France, and was killed in action at Loos, 17 Sept. 1915: _unm._

=WOOLLEY, GEORGE FRANK=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 7925, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WOOLLEY, WILLIAM ALFRED=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 1169), 279527, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WOOTTEN, ALFRED=, Private, No. 6995, 2nd Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of the late Richard Wootten, of Somersham, by his wife, Rebecca, dau. of James Ruff, of Somersham; _b._ Somersham, co. Hunts, 14 July, 1885; educ. there; enlisted at Lincoln, 23 Oct. 1906, and after serving seven years with the Colours, was transferred to the Army Reserve, 23 Oct. 1913, with “Exemplary” character. On mobilisation he rejoined, 6 Aug. 1914, went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 9 Aug. 1914, and died in No. 4 Clearing Hospital at Braisne, 1 Oct. 1914, from wounds received in action at Troyon, on 29 Sept. during the Battle of the Aisne. Brig.-Gen. H. W. Studd, Coldstream Guards, wrote: “No more faithful, true, and gallant soldier gave his life for his country. He did his duty as a Guardsman and lived and died a Coldstreamer.” He _m._ at Stansted, Essex, 10 April, 1909, Florence (3, Gray Street, Manchester Square, W.), dau. of William Perry, of Stanstead, and had two children: Alfred Frank, _b._ 29 Nov. 1911; and Florence Pamela, _b._ 4 March, 1910.

=WOOTTON, JAMES FREDERICK=, Seaman, R.N.R., 2522B, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=WORDSWORTH, ALEXANDER GERALD=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Middlesex Regt., 5th _s._ of the Rev. John Wordsworth, Vicar of Allhallows, Mealsgate, Cumberland, and formerly a Capt. in the same regt., by his wife, Rose Geraldine, dau. of the Rev. Alexander Williams, M.A., Rector of Upcerne, Dorset; _b._ Gosforth Rectory, co. Cumberland, 28 Oct. 1880; educ. Charney Hall, Grange-over-Sands, and Loretto School, Musselburgh; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 2nd Middlesex from the Cumberland Militia, 29 Jan. 1902, and promoted Lieut. 4 May, 1904, and Capt. 6 March, 1912; and was Adjutant, 9 March, 1912, to 9 March, 1914; served in South Africa, 1902, took part in operations in Transvaal, May (Queen’s medal with three clasps), and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, from 7 Nov. to 6 Dec. 1914, on which day he was killed in action in the trenches near Laventie. Buried in the orchard of a farmhouse, La Flinque, near Laventie; _unm._

=WORSFOLD, EDWARD=, Private, No. 2385, 2/4th Battn. Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt. (T.F.), _s._ of George Worsfold, of Thorley Cottage, Pyrford, near Woking, Cowman, by his wife, Mary Ann, dau. of Richard Woolger; was a Gardener; _b._ Pyrford aforesaid, 15 Nov. 1895; educ. Pyrford Council School; enlisted 10 Aug. 1914; left England for the Dardanelles July, and was killed in action there, 9 Aug. 1915; _unm._

=WORSFOLD, STEPHEN=, Private, No. 20175, Supery. Coy. 2/5th Battn. Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of the late William Worsfold, of Holmwood, Dorking, by his wife, Betsy Ann, dau. of (--). Tidy; _b._ South Holmwood, 4 Sept. 1871; educ. there; was a Gardener; served for sometime with the 2nd Vol. Battn. The Queen’s R.W. Surrey Volunteers; was called up after the outbreak of war, 19 Oct. 1914, with the Veteran Reserve, and died suddenly at Chilworth, 1 Jan. 1916, of syncope, while changing guard. He _m._ at Dorking, 26 Oct. 1901, Lilian Caroline (5, Cotmandene Square, Dorking, Surrey), yst. dau. of James Howard, of Dorking, and had five children: Stephen Noel, _b._ 25 Dec. 1912; Adelaide Lilian, _b._ 25 May, 1902; Gladys Emma, _b._ 2 Aug. 1904; Evelyn Louise, _b._ 27 Sept. 1906; and Norah Eileen, _b._ 12 April, 1915.