Sydney Clayton Woodroffe
2nd Lieutenant, 8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
- Register No.
- 1329 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- 2nd Lieutenant (register: Second Lieutenant) all Second Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) (register: Prince Consort's Own (Rifle Brigade)) all Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) VCs →
- Date of action
- 30 July 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 6th September 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Born
- 17th December 1895 at Lewes, Sussex
- Died
- 30th July 1915 at Hooge, Belgium
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Menin Gate, Belgium, and The Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
WOODROFFE, Sydney Clayton. (Reg. No.1329)
2nd Lieutenant 8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
London Gazetted on 6th September 1915.
Born on: 17th December 1895 at Lewes, Sussex.
Died on: 30th July 1915 at Hooge, Belgium.
Memorials at: Menin Gate, Belgium, and The Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral.
Citationreads: On 30 July 1915 at Hooge, Belgium, when the enemy had broken through the centre of our front trenches, Second Lieutenant Woodroffe's position was heavily attacked with bombs from the flank and subsequently from the rear, but he managed to defend his post until all his bombs were exhausted. He then skilfully withdrew his remaining crew and immediately led them forward in a counter-attack under intense rifle and machine-gun fire, and was killed whilst in the act of cutting the wire obstacles in the open.
Additional information: S.C.WOODROFFE was the fourth and youngest son of Henry Long and Clara Woodroffe, of Woodmoor, Branksome Avenue, Bournemouth. Clara was the daughter of the late Henry Clayton. Whilst at Marlborough College, he took part in many sports. He won the Curzon Wyllie Medal and was included in the football fifteen between 1912 and 1914, the hockey eleven and the cricket twenty-two. He was Captain of the O.T.C. as well as being the Senior Prefect. He gained a classical scholarship at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He joined the 8th Battalion of The Rifle Brigade on 23rd of December 1914 and was sent to the European War (WW1) on 25th of May 1915. At Hooge, in Flanders, he was killed in action on the 30th of July 1915.The Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously. His two elder brothers were both killed in action. Lieutenant K.H.C.Woodroffe on the 9th May 1915 serving with the 6th Battn. of the Rifle Brigade. He was also a sporting man. The other brother, Captain Leslie Woodroffe MC was severelty wounded at Hooge, in the same battle that Sydney Woodroffe was killed in July 1915. He was able to return to his regiment, the 8th Battn. Rifle Brigade on the 1st of June 1916. He was wounded on the same day. He Died on of his wounds three days later.
Alf's notes on his life
Citationreads: On 30 July 1915 at Hooge, Belgium, when the enemy had broken through the centre of our front trenches, Second Lieutenant Woodroffe's position was heavily attacked with bombs from the flank and subsequently from the rear, but he managed to defend his post until all his bombs were exhausted. He then skilfully withdrew his remaining crew and immediately led them forward in a counter-attack under intense rifle and machine-gun fire, and was killed whilst in the act of cutting the wire obstacles in the open.
Additional information
S.C.WOODROFFE was the fourth and youngest son of Henry Long and Clara Woodroffe, of Woodmoor, Branksome Avenue, Bournemouth. Clara was the daughter of the late Henry Clayton. Whilst at Marlborough College, he took part in many sports. He won the Curzon Wyllie Medal and was included in the football fifteen between 1912 and 1914, the hockey eleven and the cricket twenty-two. He was Captain of the O.T.C. as well as being the Senior Prefect. He gained a classical scholarship at Pembroke College, Cambridge. He joined the 8th Battalion of The Rifle Brigade on 23rd of December 1914 and was sent to the European War (WW1) on 25th of May 1915. At Hooge, in Flanders, he was killed in action on the 30th of July 1915.The Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously. His two elder brothers were both killed in action. Lieutenant K.H.C.Woodroffe on the 9th May 1915 serving with the 6th Battn. of the Rifle Brigade. He was also a sporting man. The other brother, Captain Leslie Woodroffe MC was severelty wounded at Hooge, in the same battle that Sydney Woodroffe was killed in July 1915. He was able to return to his regiment, the 8th Battn. Rifle Brigade on the 1st of June 1916. He was wounded on the same day. He Died on of his wounds three days later.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Menin Gate, Belgium, and The Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral
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