7657 Cpl Isaac Woods
This is the Feature Page
of
7657 Isaac Woods
and his son
Roy Woods
Click on any document or photo to enlarge it

Roy Woods

Isaac Woods

Isaac Woods joined the XX The Lancashire Fusiliers in 1899 and in a very short time was shipped off to South Africa and soon ended up with the 20th Mounted Militia at the Battle of Spion Kop.

He used to tell his son Roy when Roy was a young boy that he completed his training on board ship whilst travelling to South Africa.

Isaac is on the list of Men of The XXth The Lancashire Fusiliers who fought in the Boer War"
The Number, Rank, Name, and Battalion his number is 7657 J Woods )

( Click here to go Spion Kop Page )

He returned to England as a L/Cpl in late 1902 having served with the 20th Mounted Infantry.

the Service document for South Africa

The Queens South Africa Medal

He joined 1LF and got posted to Malta, then Egypt, Malta again, this was keeping an eye on trouble brewing in Turkey etc., then off to India serving at Chakrata, Jamrudfort, Multan and several other places, for just over 7 years returning as a Sergeant in December 1914

(Click here to see the Multan Photo Album).


Isaac is second from left back row

Isaac is third from left middle row.

Isaac second from left front row seated

Third from right middle row, note he is wearing his Boer War Medal.

Isaac 2nd from left back row

His next posting was in April 1916 to France were he was wounded on the 1st July 1916 at the
Battle of the Somme.

Isaac in 1916

He returned to the UK and was transferred to hospital with the 3rd Battalion at Withernsea near Hull where the wounded were sent.


Isaac is 2nd from the right

 


Letter to Isaac from
Major Arthur James Mitchell,
 4th Bn LF ,
20th Mounted Infantry
and later
CO Wellington Barracks Bury

There he met up again with his friend Jack Grimshaw VC who had been wounded at Gallipoli


Jack Grimshaw

He returned to France in March 1918 with I think the 23rd Infantry Brigade but am not sure which battalion it was. He was duly promoted C Sgt then a/CSM returning later from France again and received substantive rank of CSM.



Isaac is sat immediately behind man sat cross legged on front
(4th from left front row)

Isaac is stood 3rd from right 2nd row immediately behind man without cap

In 1919 he was sent to Kirky in Liverpool as a RSM reverting to substantive CSM with the 6th battalion in Feb 1920.

He remained with the 6th battalion until his discharge in Dec 1920.

Isaac Woods was 68 years old when he died from a cerebral thrombosis on the 26th February 1947

A man any son can be proud of..


Roy Woods

After my father died I had to look after my blind mother, unfortunately she herself died from pneumonia in early 1952. Within a matter of days I had joined the XX The Lancashire Fusiliers the obvious intention to follow in my fathers footsteps. After my basic training under Sgt "Topper Brown"
Sgt Topper Brown

I was transferred to Bulford in Wiltshire to the 2nd Battalion and joined the Mortar Platoon in Support Company, this lasted about six months when an advert went up in the NAAFI for men with musical experience to form a Band.


Bulford

This I applied for and to my amazement found out that Sgt Fred Smith who was my mortar platoon sergeant was a musician himself and was to become Band Sgt.

Trieste

When the battalion moved to Trieste in early 1953 the few bandsmen recruited moved back to Bury to complete the formation of the 2nd Battalion band which subsequently followed the Regiment about twelve months later to Trieste.

Wellington Barracks
Bury

I had been promoted to L/Cpl then substantive Cpl and put in charge of the stores and band library. Having the ability to type a little the WOI Bandmaster Leo F Marks had instructed me to order all new instruments, and so I settled in the band as a euphonium player subsequently giving way on that instrument and becoming an Eb Bass player. In 1952 the MOD had decided to reform the 2nd battalion, in 1955 they decided to disband and amalgamate with the 1st battalion in Iserlohn in Germany. After arranging the transfer of all the band instruments to a female band I was then sent to Iserlohn. The Bandmaster who was supposed to be leaving for Mr Marks to take over decided to stay, he then realised he had to many NCO's and I was one of the unfortunate ones to have to return to the depot, where I was to join the 5th Battalion Band under Bandmaster Ernie Wharton and also carry out various duties at the depot when a senior NCO was required. I completed my engagement in late1959, and realising there were no band vacancies anywhere I decided to leave the regular army. I had got married whilst in the army and after spending another three years with the TA left completely. I had always kept in touch with my friends from band days and when Jim Brackley, my friend in the association decided to form the Band Branch I eventually became its secretary. Sadly I had to relinquish that position when I contracted cancer in 2004 and had to have an operation.

 

I had worked as a volunteer in the museum since 1994 and became museum archivist in 2002, a job I am now again very much embroiled in.

"Once a Fusilier always a Fusilier".
22700714 Cpl Roy Woods


Bury Times
29th Jan 2009

Roy was presented with the Regimental Commendation and Medal at Gallipoli 2010 for his work for the Regiment

Sadly Roy passed away 6th June 2010
Rest in Peace Roy