Name
John William Woods (MC)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/04/1917
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Military Cross
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
CHAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY, HOLNON
III. B. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Royston Town War Memorial
Pre War
John was the second son of Charles & Sarah Woods, of 27, Barkway St., Royston. Before the outbreak of the great war, he had worked as a teacher with London County Council
Wartime Service
John enlisted in the Coldstream guards in September 1914, and went out to France in February 1915, where he was commissioned as a second Lieutenant in the Kings own Yorkshire light infantry.
He was awarded the military cross for capturing 60 prisoners, taking charge of half of the Battalion and consolidating their position. On 14 April 1917, John was leading “B” Company in an attack on the village of Fayet. The company had to negotiate a large number of dugouts on the way, which was successfully achieved. At 6:40am, the Germans made a heavy counter-attack on the village and “B” company was forced to fall back. It was during this encounter that John was killed. It was during this action that Sergeant John Ormsby, who was acting as the Company Sergeant Major for “B” Company, won the Victoria Cross.
Additional Information
John is also commemorated on his family’s grave in Royston Church Additional Burial Ground. His part of the inscription reads:
AND OF THEIR (Charles & Sarah Woods). DEAR SON
CAPT. JOHN WILLIAM WOODS. MC.
KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE APRIL 14TH 1917 AGED 23 YEARS.
INTERRED IN CHAPPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY
GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS.
“THY WILL BE DONE.”
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson
