Thomas Woodcock (VC)

This article is about the English war hero. For English Officer of Arms, see Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms).

Thomas Woodcock
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Born	(1888-03-19)19 March 1888 Wigan, Lancashire
Died	Bullecourt, France
Buried	Douchy-les-Ayette British Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1915 – 1918
Rank	Lance Corporal
Unit	Irish Guards
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Thomas Woodcock VC (19 March 1888 – 27 March 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

Woodcock was 29 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, Irish Guards, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 12/13 September 1917 north of Broenbeek, Belgium, when an advanced post had held out for 96 hours and was finally forced to retire, the lance-sergeant (John Moyney) in charge of the party and Private Woodcock covered the retirement. After crossing the stream themselves, Private Woodcock heard cries for help behind him - he returned and waded into the stream amid a shower of bombs and rescued another member of the party whom he carried across open ground in daylight towards our front line, regardless of machine-gun fire.

He was killed in action at Bullecourt, France, on 27 March 1918.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of corporal. He is buried at Douchy-les-Ayette British Cemetery, France. 8m SW of Arras. Plot IV. row F. Grave 3.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Irish Guards RHQ), London, England.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)