WOODGATE, George
| Service Number: | 5486 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 60th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Beechworth, Victoria, Australia, 10 August 1888 |
| Home Town: | Myrtleford, Alpine, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Hurdle Flat State School, Beechworth, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in action, Belgium, 25 September 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Beechworth War Memorial, Myrtleford State School No 955 Great War Honor Roll, Myrtleford War Memorial, Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5486, 8th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 5486, 8th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 5486, 8th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Melbourne | |
| 25 Sep 1917: | Involvement Private, 5486, 60th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5486 awm_unit: 60th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-09-25 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
George Woodgate was the son of William and Lydia Woodgate, of Myrtleford, Victoria. His brother, 1022 Pte. John Woodgate 37th Battalion AIF, was killed in action three months before on 8 June 1917, aged 28. Neither of the Woodgate brothers has a known grave and they are both remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
George was seen to be killed by a heavy German shell which hit a dugout he was in, also killing 3150 Private Victor H. Jones.
Back in Myrtleford, the father of the two brothers, William Woodgate also passed away in July 1917.
When the news of George’s death reached her in October 1917, Mrs. Woodgate was quite overcome with the further blow that had come upon her and her family. She only had one son left, having lost her husband and two sons within three months. She was also reported to have suffered severe losses by recent floods in the town.
George was her eldest son, having turned 28 one month before his death. He was reported to be a hardworking, unassuming young man, and well-liked by everyone.
A letter appeared in the Myrtleford Mail in November 1917, written by the late George Woodgate to his younger brother, the letter being dated only ten days before he was killed,
"Look after mother, Bob, and keep cheerful till I come home again." He had had a good time in England for ten days, stayed with people named Bransom, who treated him as if he was their son. He enclosed a beautiful photo of their two little girls, which he wished to have enlarged for him by the time he came back. He was very sorry when he had to leave a home like this was to go back to France again.”