William Henry WOODWARD

He is at rest with his wife Mabelle Gertrude in Stratford on Avon Cemetery, Warwickshire. His son Alan Henry, Sergeant Observer in the R.A.F. was killed in 1940 aged 19. William had served with the Royal Engineers in the 1st World War.

Some notes from what remains of his army record.
He joined up on the 20th September 1915 aged 22 years and 147 days and was posted as Sapper 73468, Signals Coy, Royal Engineers at Fenny Stratford Signals Depot, Bletchley. He lived with his parents Joseph and Janette at New Inn, Clifford Chambers, Stratford on Avon. He was employed as a Post Office Telegraphist. On the 20th November 1915 he married Mabelle Gertrude Norris at the parish church of Stratford on Avon. After he had completed his training he was posted to Salonica with the 38th Airline Section and on the 18th February 1918 was posted to C Company. During his time in Salonica he spent a lot of time going in at out of hospital. First on the 16th June 1917 with Neuralgia, he refused treatment while being looked after in No 10 Casualty Clearing Station. On the 28th June he discharged fit for duty and to join his unit in the field. On the 7th October 1917 he was admitted to 27th Casualty Clearing Station with Debility and transferred to 62, General Hospital and was then discharged to his unit on the 6th October 1917. 1st November 1917 he contracted Malaria and he admitted into 29th General Hospital, he refused treatment and he was discharged fit for duty on the9th November 1917. The 2nd December 1917 he had dysentery. He was treated in 63rd General Hospital, discharged fit for duty on the 18th February 1918. Admitted to hospital with influenza at 50th General Hospital and while in hospital he had dysentery, he was transferred to 49th General Hospital. No other medical record found. At some stage he was transferred to a hospital in England because on the 31st December 1918 he was admitted into 21st Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham with dysentery. He was the transferred on the 20th January 1919 to Dispersal Hospital, Addington Park Military Hospital near Croydon, known as Addington Park War Hospital. He was medically discharged to his home on the 25th March 1919 A brief report was written on his discharged sheet stating that he had

served in Salonica for 3 years as Sapper, Royal Engineers. He was suffering from abdominal weakness and irregularity of the bowls following dysentery. First attack contracted whilst on service in Salonica. He was in 18 Stationary Hospital, Salonica 49th General Hospital Salonica

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