Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS (photo added)

Serviceman Headstone image Serviceman thumbnail gravemarker Serviceman thumbnail
Rank Lieutenant Colonel
Forenames HUMPHREY REGINALD
Surname WOODS (photo added)
Initials H R
Place of Birth Unknown
Date of Birth Wednesday, 15 September 1915
Date of Death Wednesday, 14 June 1944
Age 28
Nationality British
Residence or Entered Service From Unknown
Service Number 67184
Force British Army
Service/Corps/Regiment King's Royal Rifle Corps
Unit / Ship / Battalion / Squadron 9 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (50th Northumbrian Division)
Military Honours and Awards DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER (DSO), MILITARY CROSS (MC) and BAR
Place of Burial/Commemoration BAYEUX WAR CEMETERY
Roll of honour
Grave/Memorial Location XV. F. 26.
Previous Place(s) of Burial Unknown
Epitaph THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE
Family Details SON OF COLONEL REGINALD HERBERT WOODS, MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE (OBE), MILITARY CROSS (MC), AND IVY OSWALD WOODS, OF STEVENAGE, HERTFORDSHIRE.

Additional Information

Battlefield grave of Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS.1

 

 

Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS was Commanding Officer of 9 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry on Wednesday 14th June 1944.

 

 

Biography of Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS.2

 

 

According to 9 Battalion Durham Light Infantry War Diary3 Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS was killed at Bernières-Bocage (Juaye-Mondaye):

 
14th June 1944
 
04:00 hours. We shelled and mortared the wood at 805.89 [map reference], as patrols report enemy still in the area. 09:50 hours. Battalion Commences to new position, H-Hour being 10:20 hours. By 11:00 hrs the Battalion was fully engaged in woods at MR8069, and B.M reported all going according to plan.
 
At 11:20 hours. the Battalion began to consolidate at 805684 and prisoners started coming in. 28 prisoners in by 12:03 hrs., some of them wounded. 12:15 hours Lieutenant Colonel H.R. Woods, DSO MC & Bar, was shot and fatally wounded. Major H.J Mogg assumed command of Battalion Tanks were sent forward through the Battalion Area, and by 13:00 hours we were holding the village, joined ten minutes later by 6 Battalion Durham Light Infantry.4

 

Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS headstone.5

 

References
1. Photograph © IWM (B 7321), kindly located and provided by Geert Van Den Bogaert.
2. Additonal Information published by kind permission of Paul Johnson via his Stevenage At War memorial website. 
3. War Diary. 9 Battalion, Durham Light Infantry. National Archives WO171/1291.
4. War Diary extract kindly provided by Geert Van Den Bogaert.
5. Photograph kindly provided by Paul Johnson.

 

Acknowledgements and Credits
Source of original data: Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Headstone photograph: Carl Shilleto
Cross marker photograph: © IWM (B 7321) via Geert Van Den Bogaert.
Individual photograph: Paul Reed via Paul Johnson.
Additional photographs provided by: © IWM (B 7321) via Geert Van Den Bogaert and Carl Shilleto
Additional information provided by:  Paul Johnson via his Stevenage At War memorial website, Geert Van Den Bogaert and Paul Errington.

 

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What other people have said

France

Martine Josselin

Eternal respect and gratitude to you, Lieutenant Colonel HUMPHREY REGINALD WOODS. RIP.

On Thursday, February 27, 2014
puçol

Juan muñoz gomez

RESPECT AND HONOR. RIP

On Thursday, February 27, 2014