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Pte. Herbert Woodward
British Army 6th Battalion South Wales Borderers
from:Cwmbran
(d.13th Feb 1917)
Herbert Woodward came from Everton, Liverpool to South Wales, as a young man looking for work, finding lodgings in Cwmbran. He married Ethel the youngest daughter of the household and they had two children Martha and Ellen (my great grandmother). He died on 13th Feb 1917 age 34. Below is a small part of the letter he wrote to his brother the day before he died;
Dear Bro, I might tell that we are having it a bit rough at the present, but never mind, it is all in a good cause, but I wish it would finish soon so that we could get home and see you all .....
He served with the 6th Btn. South Wales Borderers a pioneer regiment with 75th Division, II Anzac Corps (who were near the Ontario Farm mine, during the 1917 Battle of Messines.)
I found the following from an on line war diary while searching for more information about him :- "No.3 Tunnelling Coy.,Canadian Engineers. Tuesday, February 13, 1917 Location: From Rivers Lys to Douvre. Entry: Due to the pressure of swelling clay at Seaforth Farm several of the castings have broken in the "I" beam sets.- At the St.Yves M.G. subway, the right drive is in for 20', and the left has been started. Both faces are good. The enemy placed several minenwerfer bombs close to the main entrance to the subway - killing one S.W.B. Pioneer and wounding another.- We do not suspect that the enemy has noticed our work here, and it is almost certain that his target is the Heavy T.M. emplacement in the vicinity. Lieut. Roodhouse was wounded in the head by a machine gun."
Editor's Note - Herbert is interred in the Berks Cemetery Extension. His medal card shows that he was initially Private 78 Monmouthshire Regiment. He is then listed as Private 36257 and 39257 in the South Wales Borderers.
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