Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Albert Woodington was born in 1893 in North Melbourne, Victoria. His Father’s name was William Woodington, born in 1841 and died in 1920. Woodington’s Mother’s name was Elizabeth Woodington, born in 1851 and died in 1942. He had 3 sisters and 1 brother. His oldest sister’s name was Henrietta Elizabeth “Hetty” Woodington, born in 1876 and died in 1902. His oldest brother was James Henry Woodington, born in 1881 and died in 1882. His second oldest sister was Florence Sophia “Florrie” Noble, born in 1887 and died in 1957. His youngest sister was Margaret May Hamilton, born in 1890 and died in 1978. Before the war, Woodington worked as a fitter, nd he played Australian Rules Football and was a half-back for North Melbourne Football Club.

Woodington enlisted on the 3rd of December 1914. He enlisted in Oaklands, South Australia at the age of 23 years and 9 months. Woodington was 5 feet and 9 and a half inches, 176.53 centimetres. He weighed 161 pounds, 73 kilograms. His chest measurement was  inches. He had a ruddy complexion with blue eyes and red hair. Woodington embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on the HMAT A46 Clan MacGillivray on the 2nd of February 1915.

Woodington was part of multiple battalions. He started in the 10th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement as the Gunner rank. Gunners used high explosive shells to collapse trenches and lightly protected shelters. His unit was the 1st Artillery Brigade. The 10th Battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position and served there until the evacuation in December 1915. Woodington was admitted to the Australian Casualty Clearing Station with diarrhoea on the 12th of August 1915. Woodington was sick to the hospital on the 14th of August 1915. Woodington was admitted for anorexia to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Heliopolis, Egypt on the 16th of August 1915. He was then transferred to the No.3 Auxiliary Hospital on the 16th of August 1915. Woodington took on the strength of the 50th battalion in Zeitoun, Egypt on the 29th of February 1916. The 50th Battalion was raised in Egypt on the 26th of February 1916 as part of the ‘doubling’ of the AIF. Approximately half of its recruits were, like Woodington, veterans from the 10th Battalion, and the other half were fresh reinforcements from Australia. The 50th Battalion was mostly made up of soldiers from South Australia, similar to the 10th Battalion.

Woodington transferred from the 50th Battalion to the 4th Division Artillery Brigade on the 14th of March 1916. The Brigade embarked from Alexandria, Egypt for France. Arriving at the port of Marseilles, the Brigade travelled 800 kilometres by train to Le Havre, where it drew its 18-pounder guns and vehicles, before continuing to Armentieres, near the French-Belgium border, on the 8th of April. The fighting at Armentieres was not as intense as in other places along the Western Front and the Allies used the location as a ‘nursery sector’ where new units could be ‘blooded’. The 4th Division Artillery Brigade’s first major offensive was the battle of the Somme. The Somme offensive was partly designed to relieve the pressure on the French at Verdun. The 4th Division artillery brigade was positioned 80 kilometres south of Sausage Valley, near Pozieres, in late July, where it was involved in constant action against the Germans.

Woodington transferred to the 4th Divisional Ammunition Column in Egypt on the 19th of April 1916. The sole object of an Ammunition Column was to keep ammunition up to the guns by whatever means were available. They were responsible for moving ammunition forward of Ordnance and Supply parks established in rear areas. Woodington then transferred to the Artillery Training Depot on the 13th of May 1916. The Artillery Training Depot was formed in Egypt in January 1916. After his training was completed, Woodington took on strength to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column from artillery details in France on the 25th of September 1916. The 1st Divisional Ammunition Column belonged to the 1st Division Artillery. Its role was the provision of ammunition forward to the gun positions. In September, the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column was involved in The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and The Battle of Morval. Throughout 1916, the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column was also in action in the Battle of the Somme. Woodington detached from the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column to the Quarry Dump for duty as a Gunner on the 1st of December 1916. Gunners in quarry dumps during World War 1 were responsible for operating artillery guns and providing artillery support. They would set up their guns in strategic locations within or near the quarry dumps to defend against enemy attacks or to provide offensive firepower. Gunners would aim and fire the artillery guns, adjusting their aim based on the information provided by spotters or observers. Their role was crucial in supporting ground troops and engaging enemy forces during the war. Woodington fell sick and was admitted to the hospital on the 26th of April 1917. Woodington was wounded in action on the 15th of October 1917. He was admitted to Norfolk War Hospital on the 27th of October 1917.

On the night of March 17th to 18th, 1918, Woodington and two other Gunners showed exceptional bravery and dedication to their duty. During a heavy enemy attack near Norfolk Bridge on the Ypres Comines Canal in St. Eloi, one of their gun pits caught fire from an enemy shell. The soldiers worked hard to put out the fire, even though it was difficult and dangerous. Their quick thinking and bravery prevented the damage from being worse than it was. While the gun was temporarily out of action, the loss of ammunition was minimal. Woodington received a Military Medal for this on the 9th of April 1918. Woodington returned to Australia on the 14th of December 1918.

Woodington died on the 30th of August 1954, aged 60 or 61. He died in Parkville, Melbourne City, Victoria, Australia. Woodington was buried in Fawkner Memorial Park in Fawkner, Merri-bek City, Victoria, Australia. The plot he was buried in is Methodist E, Grave 3615.

Reference list

Albert Ernest Woodington (1893-1954) - Find a... 2020, www.findagrave.com, viewed 25 March 2024, <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/212188557/albert>.

Australian War Memorial 2019, The Australian war memorial, Awm.gov.au, viewed 25 March 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/>.

Commonwealth Gazette 1918, Details, www.aif.adfa.edu.au, viewed 25 March 2024, <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=331283>.

Virtual War Memorial Australia n.d., Australian Soldiers, Memorials and Military History, vwma.org.au, viewed 25 March 2024, <https://vwma.org.au>.