Albert George Henry Woodey

Memorial: Downend - Christ Church

Regiment: Royal Berkshire Regiment

Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Lance Corporal 43450

Parents: Charles and Caroline Woodey (nee Elston)

Marital status: Single

Home address: 2 Teewell Hill, Staple Hill, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Servant

Date of birth: 1898

Place of birth: Syston, Glos

Date of death: 08/08/1918

Buried/Commemorated at: Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension (Ref. IV. K. 10.), Somme, France

Age: 20

Further information:

More commonly known as 'George', he enlisted on 9th October 1916 and first served as Private 83208 in the 2nd/2nd London Regiment before being promoted to Lance Corporal 43450 in the 8th Battalion, Princess Charlotte of Wales's (Royal Berkshire Regiment). On 8th August the Berkshires were in trenches in front of La Houssoye. At 4:20 a.m. a creeping barrage marked the advance of the Berkshire Regiment with a heavy mist hanging over the battlefield meaning it was impossible to maintain direction and keep contact with the other companies of the Battalion. The enemy was first encountered in front of Commings Trench where one platoon was engaged by two German machine guns. With the mist clearing the advance was eventually held up by heavy machine gun fire. This was simultaneously followed by the fire of two enemy field guns. 'George' Woodey was probably killed in the three attempts that were made to rush these gun positions with each proving ineffective. Subsequently a line was taken up approximately coinciding with the 1st Battalion, under orders from Brigade, was withdrawn to the Clermont Line for re-organisation. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission shows that George Woodey was Killed in Action on 8th August 1918 whereas the Graves Registration Report states he was Killed in Action on 14th August 1918.

Commemorated on the Christ Church Downend Memorial and the Staple Hill (Page Park) Memorial.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Commonwealth War Graves Commission, UK Censuses, Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum, Soldiers Died In The Great War, David Blackmore – Mangotsfield Residents Association