Sgt 18759 Henry Woods

• Age: 31
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Thursday 10th October 1918
• Commemorated at: Montay Communal Cem
  Panel Ref: 11

Henry (Harry) Woods was born in May 1887, the son of Clara Emily Turner and Peter Henry Woods who were married on the 30th October 1889 at St Nicholas' Church, Liverpool. Peter was a 31 year old carter of 91 Park Lane, father Henry deceased, whilst Clara was also aged 31 of 31 Park Lane, father Thomas a bricklayer.  

His father was born in Montreal, Canada of British parents but lived in Liverpool from a young age. His mother was from Bingley, Yorkshire, and before her marriage lived in Stalybridge and worked as a cotton winder. She had a daughter Elizabeth, born in 1878. Henry had younger siblings Emily, George, Peter, Edith, Susannah, and Thomas.   

In 1891 the family is living at 60 Kirkdale Road. Father Peter is aged 33, a porter, born in Lower Griffintown, Montreal, mother Clara is aged 33, born Yorkshire, children Elizabeth 13, born Yorkshire, Henry 4, a scholar born Liverpool, and Emily 13mths, born Liverpool. They also have a lodger.   

In 1901 they are at 462 Scotland Road, with five children.  His father aged 43 is a quay carter, mother Clara is 42, children Henry, 13, is a railway carter’s boy, George A. 8, Peter 6, Edith 4, and Susanah 1.

Harry married Alice Connolly in St. Matthew's Church, Liverpool, on 21st March 1907, both giving their address as 462 Scotland Road and their age as 21. In fact, they were both 19, with Alice naming her father as Richard, deceased. Their daughter Alice was born in 1909.

For many years before enlisting he worked for W. J. Lee, team owner. 

 

In 1911 Harry and Alice and daughter Alice, age 2, are living with his parents at 462 Scotland Road. His father, 50, is a dock labourer, his mother is 48. They state they have been married 25 years and had nine children, two of whom have died. Harry is 24, a carter, general carrier. George, 20, is also a carter, Peter, 17, works in the soap factory, Edith, 15, is at home, Susannah, 12, and Thomas, 10, are at school.

 

Another daughter Elizabeth was born shortly after the census in 1911, followed by a son Joseph Richard in 1913.

 

Harry enlisted in Liverpool on the 05th September 1914, joining the 14th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 18759 giving his age as 27 years and 106 days, and his occupation as carter.  He is described as being 5’ 5 and a half inches tall, weighing 140 lbs, with a fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.  He gives his wife Alice, at 13 Brisbane Street, as his next of kin, and his religion as C of E.  His service record survives and shows - 

 

Appointed Lance Corporal 20/10/1914

Promoted Corporal 29/10/1914

Promoted Sergeant 30/12/1914

 

Harry’s eldest sister Elizabeth, the mother of three, died in June 1915. A family story states that, in preparation for her funeral, the youngest sister, Susannah, 15, was cleaning an upper storey window and fell to her death. Tragically, the family buried two daughters within a few days. 

 

Harry and Alice had another daughter, Mary, in March 1915, but sadly she died in June 1916 at age 15 months of bronchopneumonia (when Henry was away in the Balkans).

 

Harry shipped to France 4/9/1915

Embarked for the Balkans 28/10/1915

To 40 Casualty Clearing Station, diarrhoea 15/12/1915

Rejoined unit 2/2/1916

Admitted 5 Canadian Hospital 25/6/1916

Transferred to Hospital Ship Essequibo 7/7/1916

Admitted Mtarfa Hospital, Malta  10/7/1916 

To Ghajn Tuffieha, Malta, dysentery, 5/9/1916

To All Saints Convalescent Camp, Malta 3/10/1916

Embarked for Salonika 14/10/1916

Disembarked Salonika 18/10/1916

Rejoined Bn in the Field 6/11/1916

Admitted 21 Stationery Hospital, malaria 28/7/1917

To Con(valescent?) Depot, Salonika 9/8/1917

Admitted 68 General Hospital “TB” 22/8/1917

Discharged to Con Dep 20/9/1917

To 30 Stationery Hospital Salonika for treatment of malaria 5/10/1917

Admitted 40 General Hospital, malaria 14/10/1917

To 5 Con Dep 24/10/1917

Left Salonika for U.K. 11/1/1918

 

Posted 3rd (Garrison) Bn, U.K. 7/3/1918

 

Admitted to hospital March 1918 with malaria;  Central Military Hospital, Cork, “Affected by malaria. Not to return to a theatre of war other than France or Italy, in accordance with War Office telegram 51097”.  5/4/1918, “Positive malaria case, not available for theatre of war where malaria is prevalent.”   Classified ‘A’, “irrespective of malaria” 22/8/1918.

 

Posted 18th Bn, embarked for France 3/9/1918, Joined 18th Bn 6/9/1918.

 

The 14th Bn, recently returned from Salonika, is amalgamated with the 18th Bn K.L.R. in August 1918 and becomes the 18th (Lancashire Hussars) King’s (Liverpool) Regiment. The Hundred Days Offensive, the Allied push which would eventually end the war, begins on 8th August, 1918.

 

On 7th October 1918 the 18th Bn arrives at the Hindenberg Line at Bony.  

From the battalion War Diary:

10th October 1918 - At 0230 hours the battalion moved forward to a position near RUEMONT, and attacked towards LE CATEAU at 0510.  Very little opposition was met with at the start but later considerable M.G. fire was encountered. …  Our right company was not in touch with the flank, and the troops on the right appeared to be held up by M.G. fire from the railway embankment … A short length of trench on the high ground immediately E. of LE CATEAU was also reported to be held by the enemy.  At 0848 the Centre Coy reached K.33.b and pushed a platoon into the N. W. outskirts of LE CATEAU.  The right company was temporarily held up by MG and sniper fire, but appeared to be almost in the town itself.  Hostile M.G. fire was reported from the direction of Q.10. … Houses in K.28.a were reported to be strongly held by the Bosche, and a patrol was sent out to investigate and deal with them. … During the advance on LE CATEAU considerable difficulty was experienced, owing to a “whizz bang” battery being able to fire over open sights at the troops as they moved up the rise and along a slight valley.

 

Total Casualties from 7th to 13th October:

Killed – 2 Officers, 18 O.R.

Wounded – 6 Officers, 111 O.R.

Died of Wounds – 1 O.R.

Wounded and Missing – 1 Officer, 20 O.R. 

Harry was listed as Wounded and Missing on 10th October1918.  

 

Alice sought  information in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 19 January 1919:

 

MISSING KIRKDALE SERGEANT.

 

Sergeant Henry Woods, No.18759 of the 18th King’s Liverpool Regiment, who resides at 48 Brisbane Street, Kirkdale, has been officially reported wounded and missing since October 10th, 1918, now presumed killed. He leaves a wife and four children. For many years he worked for W.J. Lee, team owner, Liverpool. Any information will be thankfully received by his wife.  

Harry’s name appears in the list of those Killed in the Weekly Casualty List of 21st January 1919. 

KING'S (LIVERPOOL REGIMENT).—Woods 18759 Sjt. H (Liverpool);

Harry now rests at Montay Communal Cemetery. He was 31 years old.

Montay was reached by Commonwealth forces on 10 October 1918; most of those buried in this communal cemetery died between 19 October and 6 November 1918, but there is one grave from August 1914. The cemetery contains 27 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. 

Harry served over four years in the Army; he earned his three medals.

 

His daughter Emily was born on 29th October 1918, around the time when Alice would have been notified that Harry was missing. His other children were 9, 7, and 5 years old when their father was killed. 

 

Harry’s name appears in the list of those Killed in the Weekly Casualty List of 21st January 1919.

 

His widow Alice, living at 48 Brisbane Street, Stanley Road, Liverpool, received Harry’s effects, War Gratuity of £27, and a pension of £1-16-3d a week for herself and four children.  She received his personal effects in July 1919:  1 Identity disc. 

 

In 1919 Alice provided information on Harry’s living relatives:  his parents, with siblings George, Peter, Edith, and Thomas, were living at 90 Boundary Street; Alice and the four children were living at 48 Brisbane Street. 

 

His brother George enlisted in the Scots Guards two days after war was declared, also achieved the rank of Sergeant, was wounded in action in France in 1916, and was demobbed in 1919.  

 

George’s son, John, was killed in WW2 when the merchant ship ‘Anastassia’, with convoy SC-15, was torpedoed west of Ireland on 18th December, 1940. He was 20 years old. John's name is recorded on the Tower Hill Memorial in London at Panel 132 Addenda. 

 

On the 1921 Census at Brisbane Street, his widow, Alice, is aged 35, is living with her four children; Alice 12, Lizzie 10, Joseph 7 and Emmily 2. 

 

His father died, aged 78, in 1934 and was buried on the 29th March at Kirkdale Cemetery. 

 

His mother died, aged 80, in 1938 and was buried on the 14th July also at Kirkdale Cemetery.

 

In 1939 his widow Alice and son Joseph, a ship steward, are living with married daughter Alice and family at 3 St. Agnes Road, Liverpool. 

 

Joseph was killed in WW2 when his ship, the escort aircraft carrier H.M.S. Avenger, was torpedoed by a U-boat off Gibraltar on 15th November 1942. (Only 12 of the 530 crew were rescued.) Joseph was 29. Joseph's name is recorded on the Liverpool Naval Memorial at Panel 7 Column 2.  

 

Alice died aged 72 in 1958. 

 

Harry is commemorated on the following memorials - 

Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 32 Left (14th Bn)

St. Mary with St. Athanasius Parishioners, Everton. 

 

We currently have no further information on Henry Woods, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.