Name
John Russell Woods (MC)
12 May 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/09/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Coldstream Guards
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
GROVE TOWN CEMETERY, MEAULTE
I. C. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
Cheerfulness Discipline & Valour
UK & Other Memorials
Stained Glass Window, Hitchin Boys Grammar School, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Books), Hitchin, Memorial Window, All Saints Anglican Church, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Pre War
Note: care is needed to ensure John’s information is not confused with John William Woods MC from Royston who died in April 1917 or Lieutenant John R Wood also from Ottawa, who survived.
John was born on 12 May 1895 in Carleton, Ontario, Canada and his parents were James W Woods and Ida Eveline Woods (née Edwards). In early records James’ profession was given as an agent or manufacturer, previously Lieut- Colonel J W Woods, former commanding officer of The Governor-General’s Foot Guards and when he died in 1930. Aged 68, he was reported to be an industrialist and philanthropist.
In the Canadian 1901 census the family were living in Ottawa, Canada. Present were both parents: James (35) and Ida (27) and then census records them and their children as Canadians. Their children were listed as John Russell (5), Margaret C (3), Ida E at 7 months. There origins were given respectively as Irish, Welsh and then all Irish. The also had three domestic servants: Ethel E Rowe (22), Mary McGovern (26) and 0Annie L Lynch (23).
John attended the Hitchin Grammar School from 1905-1910 where he was reported to have “won the affection of the School by his unfailing cheerfulness and genuine sportsmanship. He became a pillar of the Old Boys Football Club and kept a close association with the School to the end of his all too short life”. It has been said that his home was in Royston in Hertfordshire, but no connection has been found (yet!) and it may be confusion with John William Woods MC who was from Royston.
By 1911 the family were living at Ottawa City, Ontario, Canada. Present were both parents, James apparently trading in possibly ‘wholesales’ although this is difficult to read. The children now listed were James W (Jr 6), Marguerite C (14), Ida E (12) and Shirley E (8). Their domestic servants were now: Henrietta Booth (41), Annie Caroome(?) (23), Violet Hanthton(?) (18), May E Ayers (36), Ethel Trobes (30), Oscar Paice (23), Olive Nallen (governess 26) and Sam Hill (chauffeur 37).
There are several passenger listings found so far that seem to relate to John Russell Woods and his family, there are probably others yet to be found.
1911 gives John aboard SS Campania embarking from Liverpool on 16 December 1911 arriving in New York on the 29th(?). his final destination being Ottawa. He was listed as 16 and a Canadian citizen. Separate information under the manifest for alien passengers but noting him as ‘Non Immigrant Alien’ has him born in Canada, having lived in Ottawa, Canada but having been at Marlborough School, Wiltshire, England and was travelling home to Ottawa.
Then in 1913 under British passenger listings on the SS Olympic of the White Star Line from Southampton bound for New York, departing on 5 November 1913 to arrive in New York on 12 November 1813, lists mother (40) and son (18) travelling together and with a maid Louise Stevenson (30). It gives their last place of residence as Scotland and their intended permanent residence as their home as Kildare House, Ottawa, Canada. His mother was described as 5’ 6” with a fresh complexion, dark hair and blue eyes, born in England and John as 5’ 8” with a fair complexion, dark hairs and grey eyes, but contradicting some other records has him as born in Kildare, Ireland
Wartime Service
It is not known when John returned to the UK or why, but it is believed that he joined the Coldstream Guards early in the war, arriving in France on the 24th May 1915. In 1915 he was offered a commission following distinguished service in the field. By the Spring of 1916 he appears as a Captain in the 1st Battalion and only a few days before his death in that same year he was awarded the Military Cross for gallant conduct.
The 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards was part of the 2nd Guards Brigade whilst the 2nd and 3rd Battalions were part of the 1st Guards Brigade, all three being in the Guards Division.
All three Coldstream Battalions went forward together attacking towards Lesboeufs. They assembled southeast of the Ginchy-Lesboeufs road. The 1st Battalion was on the left of the 2nd Guards Brigade with the 2nd Coldstreams on their left and the 3rd Coldstreams on the left of the 2nd Coldstreams.
The 2nd Guards Brigade went forward at 6.20am on the 15th September 1916 under a creeping barrage, attacking the Triangle and Serpentine trenches to the northeast of Ginchy on the road to Lesboeufs. They cleared the Triangle in heavy fighting using their bombers. By the end of the day the casualties of the 151 Coldstreams were 360, those of the 2nd Bn, 440 and for the 3rd Bn 361.
Having been wounded, he would have been taken to Meaulte in France, and it was there that he died. The private inscription on the headstone, requested by his father reads "Cheerfulness Discipline & Valour" which was requested by Lieut. Col. James Woods, of Ottawa, Canada.
Additional Information
His medal were applied for on 21 February 1922 by his father Lt Cool J W Woods from Kildare House, Ottawa, Canada.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
