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Pupils of Gordon's Boys Home Who Died in the Great War 1914-1919

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Pupils of Gordon's Boys Home Who Died in the Great War 1914-1919 Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1920 Arthur Woodage. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has only one A. Woodage recorded as having died in the First World War. He is named as Arthur, a Lance Corporal in the Yorkshire Regiment, (also known as the Green Howard’s), with the Regimental number 9022 who died on the 17th May 1915 aged 23. His parents are named as Alfred and Elizabeth Woodage of Little Sandhurst, Berkshire. “UK, Soldiers died in the Great War 1914-1919” has his place of birth as Arborfield, Wokingham and his place of residence as |Little Sandhurst. (No Alfred & Elizabeth have been found there.) Arthur was born on the 1st October 1891, his birth being registered in Wokingham in the 4th quarter. (The 1891 census has John and Annie Woodage, with 4 children, the eldest being Martha F, living in Arborfield). Another researcher has his parents as John Alfred Woodage and Mary Ann Stewart (all censuses have his mother born in Nova Scotia, Canada). The 1901 census for Little Sandhurst has Arthur, aged 9 and born in Arborfield, the son of John (died 1904) and Annie Woodage (died 1902). (John, aged 19, had enlisted in the 97th Foot on 21st December 1870 and served in Canada. (Canada, British Regimental Registers of Service, 1756-1900.) He was arrived at Gordon’s in m1905 and left in 1907. His number was allotted in April 1908. In 1911 Arthur Woodage was a 19 year old Private in the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment serving in the Sudan, having enlisted at Aldershot. In 1914 the 1/Yorkshires were in India where they remained throughout the war. At some time Arthur he was posted to the 2nd Battalion which at the outbreak of war were in Guernsey. They returned to England and became part of 21st Brigade 7th Division that landed at Zeebrugge on the 6th October 1914. Arthur embarked for France a little later - on the 14th November 1914, and may have taken part in the 1st Battle of Ypres (19th October to 22nd November). He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal ((DCM), a gallantry medal, second only to the VC, for his actions on the 13th March 1915 during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle (10th March to 2nd April) which was the first full scale attack by the British Army of the war. The citation has his rank as "Bandsman" (a Musician like others at Gordon’s) and as such would have been a stretcher bearer attending the wounded. The DCM citation states :- “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Neuve Chapelle on the 13th March 1915, in voluntarily leaving his trench (his battalion not being engaged at the time) under very heavy fire, and attending the wounded regardless of the danger. The gallantry of this Bandsman was very noticeable.” It is probably in this role that he lost his life two months later on the 17th May 1915at the Battle of Festurbert. Arthur was awarded the DCM, the 1914 star (with clasp), the Victory medal and the British War Medals together with the St. Order of St. George 3rd Class (Russia). He was one of 33 of his Battalion to be killed between the 13th and 22nd May 1915 and one of 17 Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1920 whose body was never recovered and is commemorated on Le Touret Memorial which contains 13,400 names of those who have no known grave. His “Effects” amounting to £41-10-8d was paid on the 7th October 1915 to his sister and sole legatee Mrs Martha F Scott. She also received his War Gratuity of £5 on the 31st July 1919. (Martha (Mary/Florence) Woodage married Frank Thomas Scott in 1902 and on the 1911 census were living in Little Sandhurst, Berkshire with their 5 children.) Sources: 1, 2, 3(C), 6(M) 7(a, b & c), 9, 11, 13 & 14 References 1. UK, Soldiers Died in WW1 (Details, often including place of enlistment) 2. Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Cemetery or Memorial) & relatives? 3. 1901 census (Military (M) or (C)) 4. 1901 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age only) 5. 1911 census (Gordon Boys Home - Age, place of birth and Trade) 6. 1911 census (Military (M) or Civilian. (C)). 7. Army Medal Card 7(a) - Rolls 7(b) - Effects 7(c) 8. Naval and marines medal roll 9. www.1914-1918.net or Long Long Trail (Division, Regiment & Battalion dispositions) 10. Service Record (some survived WW2 blitz - various state of damage) 11. Reference literature: Battle of Festurbert - www.1914-1918.net 12. National Archive Naval Records. 13. Army Service Numbers 1881-1914 - Paul Noble (Blog) 14. Gordon’s Records (a) The Children’s Society (b) The Battle of Festubert (condensed) Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1920 Inception The battle of Festubert was in effect a second phase of the recently failed attack on Aubers Ridge. Once again, the attack would take the form of a pincer attack with two assault frontages: a northern one along the Rue du Bois near Port Arthur and Richebourg 'Avoue, and a southern one at Festubert. The tactical objectives are set "The general plan of the main attack will be as follows:- To continue pressing forward towards Violaines and Beau Puits, establish a defensive flank along the La Bassée road on the left and maintaining the right at Givenchy. The line to be established in the first instance if possible on the general line of the road Festubert - La Quinque Rue - La Tourelle crossroads - Port Arthur. The position to be consolidated and the troops reformed and communication established. While this line is being established, a general bombardment on the whole front will continue with a special bombardment of the next objectives, viz: Rue d'Ouvert - Rue du Marais. When ready a fresh advance will be ordered on these objectives" First Army Operation Order, 13 May 1915 . Divisions involved. I Corps (Monro): 2nd, 7th, 47th (2nd London), 51st (Highland) and 1st Canadian Divisions Indian Corps (Willcocks): 3rd (Lahore) and 7th (Meerut) Divisions. On the 13th May the British bombardment opened with a total of 433 guns and howitzers firing on a 5000 yard front. The 36 six-inch howitzers were to fire on the enemy breastwork parapet, to blow gaps through which the infantry could pour; the 54 4.5-inch would hit the German support lines, as would a portion of the field guns. The majority of the 210 eighteen-pounder field guns aimed at the German wire firing shrapnel, which was known to be an ineffective weapon for this task, but there was no High Explosive available. The bombardment was observed in detail: even early on there were reports of a high proportion of dud shells failing to explode - especially the howitzers. Firing day and night, more than 101,000 shells were fired. At 10.00pm on the 15th all units of the attacking battalions of the 5th, 6th (2nd Div.) and the Gharwal Brigade (7th Meerut Div.) were reported to be in position and at 11.30pm the first-line platoons of infantry left their trenches and moved out into No Man's Land as the artillery lifted beyond the German support trenches. The advance of the 6th Brigade was completed with few casualties. They occupied the German front and support trenches and began to consolidate. The 5th Brigade and Gharwal Brigade ran into a more alert enemy and was hit by heavy machine-gun fire. Some men reach the German front line but many were cut down in No Man's Land. At 12.45am on the 16th the 2nd Division ordered a further bombardment as planned, to coincide with the attack to be made by 7th Division. The support battalions of 6th Brigade were unable to leave the British front trench to move up to the captured position due to heavy cross-fire from the area between the two Divisional attacks, which had not been suppressed by the bombardment. German resistance in the area to the front of the captured trenches is stiffening. The support battalions of the Gharwal Brigade also attempted to move forward, but were immediately cut down and the movement ceased. At 2.45am the bombardment intensified on the front opposing 7th Division, including six field guns firing from the front line, opening gaps in the German breastwork (a tactic tried with some success by the Division at Aubers), although in places the lines are only 80 yards apart and great care is taken to avoid shelling the British troops forming up. At 3.10am the first platoons of the 20th Brigade left their front line, to close up with the German Pupils of Gordon’s Boys Home who died in the Great War 1914-1919 No. 1920 before the barrage lifts. Considerable casualties were incurred as they advanced too far, into the British shells. At 3.15am, although the 2nd Division had failed to reorganise ready for a supporting advance, the 850-yard frontal attack by the 22nd Brigade of the 7th Division began but the first wave was hit by heavy machine-gun fire. The advance halted for an extra 15 minutes shelling. On their left, 20th Brigade were slowed by a deep ditch, and crossfire from a position untouched by the bombardment, as it lay in the area between the two Divisional attacks. At about 3.45am the 22nd Brigade moved forward and despite suffering more casualties they reached the German front and worked along the trench system using bombs (grenades).
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