Name
William Woodcock
16th August 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
25/09/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
15461
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C
France
Headstone Inscription
No Headstone he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
UK & Other Memorials
Aspenden Village Memorial, Not on the High Cross memorials, Not on the Cottered Memorial
Pre War
William was born in Cottered, Hertfordshire on 16th August 1894 the son of George Woodcock (born 1867 in Aspenden, Herts) and Caroline (nee Parker, born in 1871 in Cottered, Herts).William was baptised in Cottered, Herts, on 6th September 1894.
He attended Cottered Church of England School from Sep 1898 to 1905. The 1901 Census records William, aged 6, living with his parents and sister Ada, aged 2, in Cottered, Herts. In 1905 the family moved to Aspenden, Herts. The 1911 Census records William, aged 16 and working as a Farm Labourer, living with his parents, sister Ada aged 12 and brother Ernest, aged 8, in Aspenden, Herts.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Royston, Herts, as Private 15461 Bedfordshire Regiment and after his training was posted to the 1st Battalion. William landed in France on 27th April 1915, as part of a draft of 3 Officers and 300 other ranks arriving at Ouderdom to join 1st Battalion in positions at Hill 60, Ypres.
In early 1916 the Battalion were deployed to the Vimy Ridge area near Arras before being moved to the Somme. 1st Beds were detailed to support Norfolk Regiment in an attack on the opening of the Battle of Morval (25 – 28 September 1916). William was among 17 other ranks who were killed in this action on 25th September 1916. He was aged 22.
He has no known grave as his remains were not recovered and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
His effects of £12-11s-7d, of which £8-10s-0d was his war gratuity, went to his father George.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, Stuart Osborne
