Sidney George Woods

A Private with the 8th Battalion, Sidney died on 6th of March 1917 at the age of 20. 

Sidney was born at Carlton Colville in 1896, a son of Stephen Frederick and Harriet Woods. In 1901 his family lived at Park Road, Rock Estate, Oulton, and by 1911 they were living at 4 Rock Road, Rock Estate, Oulton Broad.

Sidney volunteered and enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 13996, and arrived in France with the 8th Battalion on 25 July 1915.

Sidney was wounded in late 1915 and his name appears in the War Office Daily List of casualties dated 27 January 1916. He was wounded again in July 1915 and his name appears in the War Office Daily List of casualties dated 14 August 1916.

On 3 March 1917 the 8th Battalion moved into trenches at Petit Miraumont and Pys. For the next two days they prepared for an attack on Resurrection Trench and A and Companies made the attack at 12.30 a.m. on 6 March. The attack was preceded by a barrage which was effective, even though some shells fell short. A bombing party worked its way along the trench while machine-gunners repelled a counter-attack from the direction of Irles. By 4 a.m. the trench was practically cleared. Overall the attack was judged to be a success and laid the foundation for a subsequent attack on Irles. 

The battalion’s casualties were:

Officers: one wounded
Other ranks: seven killed, 17 wounded

Sidney was killed in action on 6 March. His body was buried at map reference 57d.R.5.d.6.9. and his grave marked with a cross. In 1919 he was reburied at Queens Cemetery.