Name
William Alfred Woods
1881
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/01/1918
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Driver
T/327063
Army Service Corps
14th Reserve Park
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ROCQUIGNY-EQUANCOURT ROAD BRITISH CEMETERY, MANANCOURT
IX. C. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Bishop's Stortford memorials,
Great Barrington War Memorial, Gloucestershire
Pre War
William Alfred Woods was born in Barrington Park, Gloucestershire in 1881 to Alfred and Mary Ann Woods. On the 1891 and 1901 Censuses the family were living at Great Barrington where his father was a Gamekeeper.
He married Lucy Sibley on 16 April 1902 at Farnham, Essex. They had four children: Augusta Mary (1906), Sydney William (1908), Marcus Llewellen Frank (1910) and Alec Alfred Kitchener (1916). On the 1911 Census he was living with his wife and children at Hendale Lodge, Limber, nr Brocklesby, Lincs, and working as a Gamekeeper. They later lived at Roxton Woods, Thealby, Brocklesby.
Wartime Service
He enlisted into the Army Service Corps (Horse Transport) on 16 April 1917. He disembarked from Southampton on the SS Londonderry on 9 September 1917 and arrived at Le Havre the following day.
He was accidentally injured while on duty. A Court of Enquiry was assembled on 6 February 1918, when evidence was given which suggested he was kicked in the chest whilst trying to put a nose bag on a horse. He was lifted clean off his feet, fell on his back and hit his head against the pole of a wagon behind the horses. The enquiry decided he had suffered injuries whilst in the execution of his duties and there was no contributory negligence. He died from cerebral concussion on 10 January 1918 at the 21st Casualty Clearing Station which was posted at Ytres, near Cambrai, from 1917 until March 1918.
Additional Information
His widow Lucy received a war gratuity of £3 and pay owing of £8 16s 2d for herself and their children.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
