WOODWARD, John H

John Woodward is considered to be John Thomas Woodward who came from Blackheath and volunteered for the Worcester Territorials. He joined the 1/7th Battalion who landed in France in March 1915 and saw front line action in Artois. In 1916 they were deeply involved in the second phase of the Battle of the Somme. German resistance in the centre of the battle zone focused on the village of Ovillers and on the 16th July the Worcesters advanced on the ruins of the village and fought to capture this key position. In the course of the lengthy struggle Private John Woodward was killed on the 18th July and is commemorated on the Thiepval, Blackheath and Halesowen Memorials.