Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Michael Ganey, Centenary of Montbrehain, 10/2018

George William Woodard Junior was born in Fosterville near Bendigo on the 20th June 1897. He was the first-born to George William and Mary Alice Woodard. He was one of 11 children. At some stage the family moved to Stowport Tasmania as the last six children were born there. As a young man, George became a labourer and spent some time with the local 91st Infantry Battalion. (Tasmanian Rangers.)
George Jnr enlisted in the A.I.F. in Burnie Tasmania at 19 years of age on the 2nd June 1917. He must have had his parent’s permission to enlist, as his father, George Snr, enlisted with him.

They were both assigned to be part of the 9th reinforcements to the 2nd Pioneer Battalion and they were given consecutive service numbers. It is unclear why George Snr enlisted. He may have done so ‘to do his duty’ or he may have simply joined to feed his large family. Maybe, he may also have joined to keep his son safe.

They embarked from Melbourne on the HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 11th May 1917 and when they arrived in England they both proceeded to the Pioneer Training Battalion on the 17th July 1917. On the 15th October George Jnr was sent to Signal School and the next day George Snr proceeded to France and was taken on strength with the 2nd Pioneers. George Jnr finished his signaller course and was taken on strength with the 2nd Pioneers on 9th March 1918.

1918 had been a bad year for George Snr, as he had a number of medical complaints for the first half of the year, which included, diarrhoea, myalgia, trench fever and debility. He was however well enough by the 27th July to return to the front to be with his son.

At Montbrehain on the 5th October 1918, George Jnr was hit by shrapnel in the left arm and shoulder. He also received a penetrating chest wound. He was taken to the 58th Casualty Clearance Station. He could not be saved and he died there at 5.30 am on the 6th of October. It is not known whether George Snr was present during any of this.

Private George William Woodard Jnr lies in the Tincourt New British Cemetery in plot V. H. 35. His mother latter chose the epitaph for his headstone.
He played the game.

After Montbrehain, the army were wondering what to do with George Woodard senior. On the 20th October 1918, the Regimental Medical Officer of the 2nd Pioneer Battalion wrote to the Assistant Director of Medical Services of the 2nd Division.

This man (George Woodard Snr) has been employed on camp duties but is now completely broken up due to the death of his son in the last action….he has applied to be sent back to Australia.

He was sent to England for assessment and was recommended for discharge with ‘premature senility, insomnia and rheumatism.’ He was sent home to Australia a broken man. He refused any medical help.

George Woodward Snr died in 1930 of strychnine poisoning. It seems this troubled man could stand no more.

The youngest son, Norman Francis Woodard served with the 2/29th Battalion in WWII. He was captured by the Japanese at the fall of Singapore, worked on the Thai – Burma railway and was killed on the 12th September 1944, when he was being transported back to Japan on the Rakuyo Maru. The ship was torpedoed and sunk by an American submarine, which was not aware that this ship was transporting prisoners of war.

Mary Alice Woodard had now lost her husband, and a son in both of the World Wars. She died in 1946