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Auction: 21003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 512

'I have great pleasure in telling you that Signaller H. Woodcock, a member of your church has been awarded the Military Medal. Together with a comrade he repaired a telephone wire under heavy shell fire. Those are the first two to receive a reward in this Battalion. He is an exceptionally nice young lad, and I am very fond of him. He is also most regular in taking his communion.'

Woodcock's Battalion Chaplain writes home to his Church.

A Great War M.M. awarded to Private H. Woodcock, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, the first award to his Battalion during the Great War

Military Medal, G.V.R. (241876 Pte H. Woodcock. 2/5 L. N. Lanc. R. - T. F.), contact marks, edge bruise, very fine

M.M. London Gazette 9 July 1917.

Harry Woodcock was born at Bolton, Lancashire on 30 July 1896 the son of James and Elizabeth Woodcock. The family lived at Coe Street in number 23 and later number 43. At the age of twelve Woodcock began work with James Marsden & Sons as a 'little piecer'. Enlisting on 29 March 1915 with 2/5th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment he became part of the signals section.

Having been raised as a second-line unit the 2/5th Battalion remained in Britain until 9 February 1917 when they landed at La Havre and moved to the Fleurbaix sector near Lille. The next month they moved again to the Cordonnerie Sector where Woodcock was to win his M.M. While under heavy artillery fire he and Private John Clayton went out to repair the S.O.S. line which had been cut during the bombardment. During the ten minutes required to repair the line they were sitting in a shell crater exposed to the consistent hammering of enemy guns. Both Woodcock and Clayton were awarded the Military Medal, these were notably the first awards of this medal to the Battalion. The Bolton Evening News states:

'It was owing to these men's resource, devotion to duty, and disregard of personal danger that communication on the S.O.S. line was re-established'

Woodcock''s actions were first reported to the local community by way of a letter from his regimental Chaplain, The Reverend C.W. Banks-Gale who wrote to the Vicar of Holy Trinity, Bolton:

'I have great pleasure in telling you that Signaller H Woodcock, a member of your church has been awarded the Military Medal. Together with a comrade he repaired a telephone wire under heavy shell fire. Those are the first two to receive a reward in this battalion. He is an exceptionally nice young lad, and I am very fond of him. He is also most regular in taking his communion.'

The regiment was engaged heavily for the rest of the year facing combat at Ploegsteert Wood during the battle of Messines Ridge, during which time they were targeted by over 10,000 gas shells. Woodcock was to face enemy artillery again in August when the Battalion moved to Armentieres; whilst here he was one of the three O.R.s to be hit. Though he survived his wounds he was sent back to Britain to recover and while recouping at Greenbank Hospital he was invited to a presentation ceremony at Bolton Town Hall. Here he was bestowed with his medal on 16 March 1918 by the Mayor of Bolton. His comrade is the action, John Clayton, was killed in action on 26 October 1917 during the attack on Poelcapelle during the Battle of Passchendaele and as such his medals were presented to his father. Woodcock was discharged from the Army on 1 April 1919 due to his wounds and awarded a Silver War Badge (No. B 218178). He married, on 8 August 1925, Ethel Flitcroft and by the start of the Second World War was working as a Cotton Spinner and living at Phethean Street, Bolton. He died in 1962; sold together with a comprehensive research file including a typed summary of the research, the London Gazette entry for the award, copied newspaper and regimental history entries. Further entitled to British War and Victory Medal pair.

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Sold for
£300

Starting price
£160