woodman, walter charles

Private Walter Charles Woodman, 3/8701, 1st Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment.

Died due to Gas Poisioning on 2nd May 1915, during the Battle of Ypres (at the 15th Field Hospital).

Walter attested as a duration of the war volunteer, on 31st August 1914 at Bargoed, and was enlisted to the 3rd Btn Dorsetshire Regt.

On 19th December, he was charged with being absent from duty, 'until surrendering himself to Capt Williams at 10am on 28th December 1914'. For this, he was punished with 14 days detention and to forfeit 21 days pay.

From the 5th January 1915, he was posted to the 1st Btn and officially on active service. On 24th March 1915, he was admitted to the field hospital with a Gun Shot Wound to his right foot, and was discharged on 14th April 1915 to return to the front line.

It was then from here that Walter was gassed at Hill 60, during the Battle of Ypres. The following extract is from the war diary on 1st May:

"7.15pm: Enemy turned on asphyxiating gas from 3 nozzles in front of 38 trench and 2 in front of 43 to 45 trenches. And also probably from others in front of 60. The direction of the wind saved the garrison of 38 but the garrisons of 60, 43, 45 and 46 got the full benefit of the gas.

Trenches 43, 45, & 46 were suffering severely from the gas. The enemy in addition to using gas and shelling supporting heavily with different types of guns, opened heavy rifle and machine gun fire on hill 60 and endeavoured to bomb the flanks of the trenches.

Beyond sending some bomb throwers up a communication trench the enemy apparently made no attempt to cross the open (ground)

Casualties: one killed one wounded

Killed by gas poisoning – Lieut C G Butcher, 52 other ranks

Admitted to Field Ambulance suffering from gas poisoning Capt AE Hawkins, 2nd Leiut JHC Roberts (since died) 2nd Lt J Hodgson, 2nd Lt J Sampson, 39 Dorsets, 2nd Lt JR Weston-Stevens 3rd Dorsets, and 200 other ranks"

Buried at Reningelst Churchyard Extension, Belgium.

Son of Mr Edward Woodman, 69 Edward Street, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil & Husband to Mary Woodman.