WOODS, George Clarence
| Service Number: | 508 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 23 September 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 8th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Essendon Victoira, 1 February 1915 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Essendon Public School |
| Occupation: | Hotel Manager |
| Died: | Heart attack, Rose Bay NSW , 16 September 1974, aged 59 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | South Essendon Methodist Church HR |
World War 1 Service
| 23 Sep 1914: | Enlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Feb 1915: | Involvement Driver, 508, 8th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of Victoria embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Feb 1915: | Embarked Driver, 508, 8th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Star of Victoria, Melbourne |
George Woods (aka Clarence)
George Clarence Woods better known as firstly "Snowy" later changed name to Clarence George Woods then better known as "Woody". He was born in 1895 and was a descendent of that branch of the Woods/Pitchers family that help establish and settle in 1849 what was to be known as Essendon Victoria. This family were also to support and nurture the founding of the Primitive Methodist Church in that region.
Woody enlisted in 1914 and joined the 8th Light Horse at Broadmeadows. He was one of many members of the extended Woods family that enlisted in WW1.
He served with the 8LH Machine Gun Section and saw action with that unit in Gallipoli. Later the MG sections of the 8/9/10 LH regiments were reformed as the 3rd LH Brigade Machine Gun Squadron. Woody was to become a Lieutenant in that Squadron.
Towards the end of the War, Woody married ,at the British Consulate in Cairo Egypt, for the first time to a Swiss Lady and they had one son who died shortly after birth. Woody and his new bride returned briefly to Australia in late 1919.
Woody returned to Cairo in 1921 and lived overseas in the Tea Business for some 14 years. Woody worked and lived in India; Celyon; East Africa; England and USA. Woody married again in Southampton in 1928. By 1935 Woody had returned by sea to Brisbane where again it appears he may have married for the third time.
In 1939 he moved to Sydney and worked in the Hotel Industry and for the next 15 years he worked as a Manager in many establishments like the Plaza Hotel, The Royal Sydney Golf Club etc.
He married for the last time in 1940 and had two sons who survived him.
Woody was a strong supporter of the RSL and used his connections during the WW2 to gain a telephone for his local club. He always marched in the local Anzac day March. Following his retirement he took part time work at the Local RSL. He was still working when he died.
He was active for many decades in the Masonic Order and always love his Essendon Football Club.
His then wife who was 18 years his junior survived him for a further 18 years.
Submitted 3 February 2015 by john woods