Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry was the son of John Woodward COWLEY & Ann CARAHAN and was born on the 25th of March 1878 in Queenstown, SA.

His parents were married on the 10th of July 1866 in the Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide, SA.

His father was the son of John COWLEY & Elizabeth WOODWARD and was born in 1836 in Liverpool, England.
His mother was the daughter of Arthur CARAGAN & Elizabeth RILEY and was born in 1842 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England.

Henry was the seventh child born into this family of 9 children.

His father was a 2nd Officer on the Steamer Wonga Wonga and had first arrived in Sydney on the 17th of April 1860.

He had then gained employment as crew on board the Star of Peace.
He sailed from London on the 1st of June 1864 and arrived in Newcastle.
They sailed again on the 15th of July, but then lost most of her sail when 7 miles out to sea due to a squall. The vessel had to return to port the following day. The schooner let go both anchors while a tug attached a line, but it snapped and the two anchors parted. The crew managed to leave the vessel and were rescued but the schooner drifted into the breakers and was lost.

He then came to South Australia.

His mother had arrived in South Australia on the 30th of October 1862 on board the Sir John Lawrence as a general servant.

In 1880 Henry’s father was a storekeeper at North Parade, Pt Adelaide.
The family then moved to Summertown where he father was a storekeeper and Henry attended the Summertown School.

In 1889 his father gained employment as a labourer at Mr T. K. Stubbin’s Timber yard in Pt Adelaide and the family were getting ready to move back to Pt Adelaide.

Henry was 11 years old when his mother was accidentally killed on the Uraidla Road, on the 2nd of January 1890.
Ann and 1 of Henry’s sisters had been sitting on the dinky of Mr R Mitchell’s furniture van, of Unley, which was being driven by Mr William Childs.
The van, drawn by 4 horses, had been to Uraidla with a load and was returning to Adelaide laden with furniture.
Coming down the hill near the seventh mile post the van ran into a little hole, causing it to jolt. The sudden jerk threw Ann forward off the seat and she fell right amongst the horses and at the feet of a young animal, who being startled began to kick.
This swerved the vehicle round and the pole struck the side of the hill and broke off.

Mr Childs went to the relief of Annie; but they found her dead.

An inquest into the accident was held at the Summertown Hotel and the Jury returned a verdict that Ann met her death by breaking her neck accidentally.
They buried her in the Woodville Cemetery (now Cheltenham Cemetery) 2 days later.

After the death of his mother his father moved the family to Hardy Street, Rosewater and 3 years later his father died at their home on the 19th of April 1893 and they buried him in the Woodville Cemetery (now Cheltenham Cemetery).

After leaving school Henry gained employment with the South Australian Railways.

Henry married Clara Pauline PLATE on the 5th of September 1900 in Pt Adelaide, SA.
Clara was the daughter of Fredrich Wiehelm PLATE & Victoria Albertina LUENERT and was born on the 15th of February 1880 in Glanville, SA.

They made their first home in James Street, Glanville and welcomed their first child; Elsie Clara Woodward, on the 8th of April 1901 in Glanville.

Clara died on the 8th of August 1902 at their home and Henry buried her the following day in the Woodville Cemetery (now Cheltenham Cemetery) Section J, Drive C, Path 2, Plot 2.

Henry then married Caroline Rebecca HAYWARD on the 17th of February 1906 at the residence of A J CLARKE, in Croydon, SA.
Caroline was the daughter of Samuel HAYWARD & Caroline SELLICK and was born on the 8th of April 1880 in Brompton, SA.
Caroline had previously had a daughter with Frank Edward WEST; Daisy Pretoria WAYWARD, on the 15th of November 1901.

They moved to Mann Street, Brompton Park and welcomed their first child; Henry Woorward on the 13th of February 1907, but he only lived for 2 hours and they buried him in the Hindmarsh Cemetery.
Edward Samuel was then born on the 9th of May 1908 and then John Henry Woodward was born on the 11th of April 1911.

John died on the 27th of March 1913 and they buried him in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Lower, H41, with Henry.

At the age of 36, Henry enlisted into the AIF on the 21st of July 1915 in Keswick, SA and was allotted the service number 3278 and posted to O Group, Base Infantry at Exhibition Camp.
On the 1st of September he was transferred to the 9th Light Horse Regiment, 11th Reinforcements and then the 10th Battalion, 11th Reinforcements.

Henry embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A24 Benalla on the 27th of October 1915, disembarked in Port Suez and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion in Zeitoun.
He spent Christmas 1915 here and was transferred to the newly raised 50th Battalion in Tel-el-Kebir on the 29th of February 1916.

Three weeks later he was transferred to the newly formed 4th Pioneer Battalion and then embarked for France in early June.
He was transferred several times during his 3 years in France, including to the ANZAC Light Railway Headquarters and the 17th Australian Light Railway Operating Company, which was later renamed the 3rd Australian Light Railway Company.

Henry embarked from England on the 25th of February 1919 on board HT Balmoral Castle and disembarked in Adelaide on the 11th of April.

He rejoined his wife and family at 85 Coglin Street, Brompton and was discharged from the AIF on the 4th of June 1919.

Henry recommenced his employment as a porter with the South Australian Railways and they remained in their home at Coglin Street until 1942 when they moved to 2 Chapman Cottages, off Caldwell Street, Adelaide.

Caroline died on the 24th of August 1950 at 2 Chapman Cottages, off Caldwell Street, Adelaide and Henry buried her in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, N3, the following day.

Henry died at Bowhill on the 22nd of April 1951 and was buried 2 days later in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, N3, with Caroline.

Military

At the age of 36, Henry enlisted into the AIF on the 21st of July 1915 in Keswick, SA and was allotted the service number 3278 and posted to O Group, Base Infantry at Exhibition Camp.
He listed his wife, of Mann Street, Bowden Park, as his next of kin.

On the 16th of August he was posted to A Company, 3rd Depot Battalion and then on the 1st of September he was transferred to the 9th Light Horse Regiment, 11th Reinforcements.

He was then transferred to the 10th Battalion, 11th Reinforcements and embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A24 Benalla on the 27th of October 1915, disembarked in Port Suez and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion in Zeitoun.
He spent Christmas 1915 here and was transferred to the newly raised 50th Battalion in Tel-el-Kebir on the 29th of February 1916.

The 50th Battalion was raised in Egypt 3 days earlier as part of doubling the AIF. Around half of the recruits were from the 10th Battalion who were veterans from Gallipoli and the other half fresh new soldiers from Australia. This Battalion became part of the 13th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division and was named ‘Hurcombe’s Hungry Half Hundred’, after its first CO, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe.

Henry was only with the 50th Battalion for 3 weeks and he was then transferred to the newly formed 4th Pioneer Battalion in Tel-el-Kebir on the 18th of March.
They marched out to Serapeum 8 days later and were engaged in front line works.
In the 19th of May they returned to Serapeum and were engaged on works for the inner defences for 8 days and then went into training on the 2nd of June.

The following day they entrained to Alexandria and embarked on board HMT Scotian on the 4th.
They sailed for Marseilles at 8am the next morning, arrived in the harbour on the 10th and disembarked the following day and marched into Carcassone Camp.
The next morning they entrained for Bailleul and then to Strazeele and on the 21st of June they left for Armentieres.
Here they took over from the 2nd Pioneer Battalion on the Armentieres – Bois Grenier Line.

They gained their first experience of trench warfare here, which was considered a quiet sector where newly arrived troops could gain experience prior to being committed to more hectic parts of the front.

Their stay within the nursery sector was short, as the 4th Division was sent to the Somme shortly afterwards to replace the 2nd Division around Pozieres.

On the 7th of July they moved to Fleurbaix and then marched out to new area between Strazeele and Merris 4 days later.
They spent 3 days here and then marched to Canaples into Billets for training before being bussed to Albert on the 27th and were engaged in the construction of roads near La Boisselle and communication trenches near Pozieres.

They subsequently took part in the defence of the heights during the final phase of the Battle of Pozieres from the 27th of July until the 3rd of September.
This was Henry’s first major battle of the war.

They remained in this area until early October when they moved to Franciers and then to Bourdon and Breilly in November.
On the 5th of November they embussed to near Buire and were engaged in road works and the maintenance of the Decauville Tramline.

They spent Christmas 1916 here and were still here on the 12th of February 1917 when Henry was transferred to the ANZAC Light Railway Headquarters.
The ANZAC Light Railway was disbanded on the 11th of June and Henry was transferred to the newly raised 17th Australian Light Railway Operating Company 2 weeks later.

They were sent to the Brotonne Forest, west of Rouen and were engaged in the constructing a 1 metre wide gauge line.
On the 26th of August Henry was detached to the 1st ANZAC Corps Headquarters and 6 weeks latter he was detached to the Headquarters of the Director General of Transport.

He was granted 2 weeks leave to England on the 22nd of January and then rejoined the 17th Australian Light Railway Operating Company.
In March they were renamed the 3rd Australian Light Railway Company and in April and May they were working with the Canadian Construction Troops, engaged in ballasting, salvaging stores and shipping stores in Proven, Belgium.

At the end of June they moved to Woesten, Belgium and on the 27th of June Henry was detached to the 12th Light Railway Company for 3 weeks.
When he rejoined his Company they had moved to Hurionville, France and they were still in this area when the Armistice was signed on the 11th of November 1918 and the guns fell silent.

On the 6th of December Henry was detached to the Headquarters of the Australian Railway Company at Armentieres and spent Christmas 1918 here before being granted 2 weeks leave in England in January 1919.

He then reported to the Administration Headquarters and on the 11th of February and was posted to the 1st Training Brigade at Sutton Veny.

Henry embarked from England on the 25th of February 1919 on board HT Balmoral Castle and disembarked in Adelaide on the 11th of April.

He was discharged from the AIF on the 4th of June 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.