2nd Lieut Walter Guise Woodin

• Age: 26
• From: Rock Ferry, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 20th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

July 30th, 1916, is a date of tragic memories in many homes on the Mersey. The "Pals" than whom a finer body of men had never been trained as brother in arms, had fought throughout that month those intense battles on the Somme, and at the end of it came the action at Guillemont. By then the brigade of heroes had been sadly depleted, but these splendid men from the city offices had won themselves a name that will never fade, for they had borne the ordeal unflinchingly and nobly, and helped on the ultimate success of the grand crusade in which they were fighting. 

Second Lieutenant Walter Guise Woodin, who died a glorious death at Guillemont whilst leading his men in a fog, had some knowledge of the mentality of Germany. For a couple of years he had been in the office of West African merchants at Hamburg. When war was declared he was with his father's firm, W.D. Woodin & Co, West African merchants, in Liverpool. Surrendering all his commercial prospects he joined the Sportsman's Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, and it was a machine gunner that he was drafted to France in November 1915. There followed a period of intensive warfare throughout that long winter under conditions of the greatest hardship and peril. The British were still sadly outnumbered, and Lieutenant Woodin was one of those who had gone out to reinforce and swell the greatly depleted ranks of the original Expeditionary Force- the men who had "held on" while the new units were being trained and equipped at home. Even now the British had not that superiority in numbers so necessary for success, and there was much preparatory work to be done before they were able to launch their first offensive on anything like a serious scale. Woodin, still a ranker took his full share in these operations, and it was not surprising that his true values should be recognised by his superiors, who in making a careful selection of likely men recommended him for a commission.

Woodin brought to his little circle of fellow volunteers a fresh and eager spirit. "He was so jolly with his infectious laugh, and had become a part of us" mourned one of his comrades who had met him after he had been to St Omer to train for a commission, and had received this in the 20th King's (Liverpools). Lieutenant Woodin was in fact with this battalion less than a month, but it was a month of tremendous fighting, and his superb conduct was frequently displayed.

"The Colonel I happen to know thought a good deal of him, and often remarked that Guy would make a first class officer, and our Commanding Officer was not often wrong. He hasn't said that of many of the new officers." So wrote the young colleague from whose tribute we have previously quoted. Colonel Cobham did indeed regard him as a most promising officer, and very warmly did he praise his gallantry in those desperate operations. 

"Our men have been magnificent they have covered themselves with glory, and you may be certain that Guy has not died in vain." wrote another fellow officer to the Lieutenant's parents Mr. and Mrs. Walter D Woodin of River Bank, Rock Ferry.  "We have given the enemy a bad time in our part of the line, and though our losses have been severe, and although we may be long before we break them, they must now realise what the spirit of our new armies is."   The spirit of those new armies, as we know now, one of the supreme factors in the war, and it was the spirit of the men who battled stubbornly and unfalteringly, who were bound together by a sublime comradeship and who faced the worst perils with disdain and a jest. Sec-Lieutenant Woodin himself was typically representative of that new race of warriors who went to sustain Britain's cause in France and Flanders.        

He was such a manly lad, so full of earnest enthusiasm, so genial in his companionship, and so concealing with his modesty, his large hearted bravery and persistent pluck. Such were the qualities born in him, and nurtured whilst he was at school at Harrogate and afterwards at the Liverpool College. It was that happy disposition which friends at home were so often attracted by that smoothed the difficulties inevitable under active service conditions, and that made him so universally popular. He could be frank in his judgement, though these were never unkindly, and there was all about his thoughts and actions an outstanding sincerity. For him the future could have been rich in possibilities, but he preferred to be a champion of England's honour, and for that honour he willingly laid down his life when only twenty seven years of age.

Second Lieutenant Woodin's span of life was thus but a short one, and he was killed at a time when the outlook was dark and the issue still uncertain but, as we have seen he neverthless he played a noble part towards laying the foundation of that victory, the achievement of which he had so fondly cherished.

The above extract was taken from Liverpool's Scroll of Fame.  

Second-Lieutenant Walter Guise Woodin was born in 1889 in Rock Ferry, the son of Dennis Woodin and Louise Mary (née Pickering) who were married in 1887 at Woburn, Bedfordshire.

He was educated in Harrogate and Liverpool College, and then joined the family firm W. D. Woodin & Co, West African Merchants, in Liverpool, spending at least two years in the branch at Hamburg Germany.

On 8th October 1914, he joined the ranks of the 23rd (Service) Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers (1st Sportsman’s) and after training at Hornchurch, Essex and Salisbury Plain, went to France with it in November 1915, as a machine-gunner. After seeing much action he applied for a commission and trained at the Cadet School in St Omer. His Commission was granted in June 1916 and he was Gazetted to the 20th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment, reporting for duty on June 27th, whilst the Battalion was in the trenches at Maricourt, on the Somme. He was killed in action just over a month later, on 30th July 1916, aged 26 years during the Battle of Guillemont.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post 08th August 1916:

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

SECOND-LIEUTENANT WALTER GUISE (GUY) WOODIN

General regret will be felt in Rock Ferry and district of the death in action of Second Lieutenant Walter Guise (Guy) Woodin of the 20th King's Liverpool Regiment, in his 27th year. He was the only son of Mr and Mrs Walter D. Woodin of Riverbank, Rock Park, Rock Ferry, and is reported to have fallen in action on Sunday, 30th July last. He joined the Sportsman's Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in London on the outbreak of war, and received his training at Hornchurch, Essex and Salisbury Plain. He was drafted to France early in November 1915, and served for some time with a machine gun section in the firing line. He obtained his commission in June last, and after undertaking a course of training at the Cadets School at St. Omer in France. He was well-known and very popular in Rock Ferry and district, and took an active in all kinds of sport. His death will be mourned by large circle of friends, who admired him as a gallant young officer with the most promising career before him.

His death was also reported in the Liverpool Echo:
 
"Second-Lieutenant Walter Guise Woodin": Second-Lieutenant Walter Guise (Guy) Woodin, of the 20th King's Liverpool Regiment, has been killed. He was in his twenty-seventh year. He was the only son of Mr and Mrs. Walter D. Woodin, of River Bank, Rock Park, Rock Ferry. He joined the Sportsman's Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in London on the outbreak of war. He went to France in November, 1915. He obtained his commission in June last. He was well known and very popular in Rock Ferry and district, and took an active interest in all kinds of sport".

"Killed In Action": WOODIN - July 30, killed in action, in his 27th year, Walter Guise (Guy) Woodin, second lieutenant King's ((Liverpool Regiment), the only and dearly-beloved son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter D. Woodin, of Rock Ferry.. Liverpool Daily Post, "Biographical Sketches": General regret will be felt in Rock Ferry and district at the death in action of Second-Lieutenant Walter Guise (Guy) Woodin, of the 20th King's Liverpool Reg" 

His body was not found and identified after the war, and he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme at Theipval.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

A brother Officer, writing to his parents after Guy's death said:

“The Colonel, I happen to know thought a good deal of him, and often remarked that Guy would make a First Class Officer, and our Commanding Officer was not often wrong. He hasn’t said that of many new officers. “

His mother died, aged 63, in 1924. 

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