Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Sylvanus Samuel Woods was born in Gawler, South Australia on the 30th of May 1884. He lived on Pulsford Road, Prospect, South Australia and wasn’t married before the war started. He didn’t have any prior involvement in the military before enlisting either.

Woods enlisted on the 19th of August 1914, and he was a Labourer at the time of his enlistment in the 10th Battalion, Australian Infantry (SERN 119) He was described as 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 146 pounds of dark complexion with grey eyes and brown hair, and his religious denomination was Church of England.

He left Alexandria, Egypt in late March. He was admitted to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance (AFA) with a septic foot on the 24th of May 1916. He rejoined his unit on the 30th of May. He was appointed Temporary Sergeant on the 16th of June 1917.

He attended Transport School from the 1st to the 11th of September and was promoted to Sergeant on the 13th of September.

He was wounded in action while fighting in France on the second of June 1918. He suffered a gun shot wound to his right shoulder and potentially a few shrapnel wounds to his chest. He was admitted to the Australian Field Ambulance. On the twenty fourth of June, he was transferred to the Third Auxiliary hHspital and was furloughed from the 9th of July 1918 to the 23rd of June 1918. He returned to Australia in September 1918 due to his wounds, a gun shot wound to the right shoulder and an injury to the brachial plexus.

After returning from the war, at Holy Trinity Church on Wednesday, May 11th,1919, Sergent Samuel Woods was married to Miss Belle Probert, eldest daughter of Mrs. B. Probert, of Adelaide, and of the late J. W. Probert, late of Broken Hill and Adelaide, by the Reverent Fredk. Webb. Mr J. Irvine gave the bride away. Miss Alma Probert, sister of the bride, was bridesmaid and Mr. Roy Probert best man. The reception was held at the residence of the bride's mother. The bride was dressed in cream silk and orange blossom. The bridesmaids were in white ninon, and each carried a bouquet tied with silk streamers. The toast of the bride and bridegroom were proposed by Mr. T. Chandler. Mr. C. Reid proposed the health of the bride's parents. A musical evening was spent with songs and dances. Woods was aged 33 and Miss Belle was aged 22. They lived a beautiful life together and lived in Port Germein. They raised four male children by the names of John, William, Samuel, and James. He died aged 76 years and in the same place he settled, Port Germein.