Woodfield | William Victor
Biography
William Victor Woodfield was killed in action on 13 October 1944 in the vicinity of Overloon. He was aged 24 at the time. He was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry (Service No. 4036769). He was initially buried at Cemetery P. Borghs C50, nu Vierlingsbeeksweg 43 Overloon and re-interred on 13 May 1947 in grave II. C. 1 in the Overloon CWG Cemetery.
William Victor Woodfield (who was known to his family as Vic) was the son of William Charles and Minnie Victoria Woodfield (nee Leadbeater).
Vic’s Father’s Family
William Charles Woodfield was born on 31 October 1895 at Coventry Road, Warwick. He was the son of Edward Samuel Woodfield and Maud Amelia Nicholls who had married in 1891 in Warwick. Edward was born in 1871 in Warwick while Maud was born in 1872 in Milverton, Warwickshire. They had five children: Edward Samuel 1892, Amelia Monica in 1894, William Charles in 1895, Elizabeth Emma in 1902 and Frank Victor in 1907, all in Warwick.
In 1901 they were living at 23, North Rock Saltisford, Warwick. Edward was working as a carpenter’s labourer. With them were their first three children.
In 1911 they were living at 28a Saltisford Warwick Edward was still a Joiner’s labourer. All five children were at home. Edward (Jnr) was working as a Wood Turner, Amelia as a House Maid and William as a Domestic Page Boy. They also had a boarder, Frank Thomas Edwards, who was 35, born in Battersea and married. He worked as a Cinematograph Operator at a Photographic film works.
Vic’s Mother’s Family
Minnie Victoria Leadbeater was born on 7 June 1897 in Radford Semele which is a village just east of Leamington Spa. However, the family surname seems to have been Leadbetter until around 1911. She was the daughter of Alfred Thomas Leadbeater and Amelia Field who had married on 16 June 1888 in Radford Semele. Alfred was a milkman at the time, born in 1868 in Pebworth, Gloucestershire while Amelia was a Servant, born in 1867 in Little Wolford, Warwickshire. They appear to have had five children as follows, all in Radford Semele: William Jessie in1888, Bertha Ethel in 1890, Marion Maud in 1892, Irene Olive in 1893 and Minnie Victoria in 1897.
In 1901 they were living at 31, Scotland Place, Leamington, Leamington Priors, Warwickshire. Alfred was now working as a Corporation Waggoner and Amelia as a Charwoman. Oddly, Minnie, then aged just 3, was not at home but was shown as a visitor at Brownsover Hall, Brownsover, Rugby, Warwickshire. The head of the household there was William Axtell, a Domestic Coachman aged 38 from Patching in Sussex. He was living there with his wife, Emma Jane, and his daughter aged 14 and son aged 11. It isn’t known why Minnie was a visitor there, apparently on her own. Brownsover Hall dates back many centuries but was rebuilt in the 1850s. It was the home of the Ward-Boughton-Leigh family until the early 20th century – so presumably William Axtell was their Coachman. Curiously, Sir Frank Whittle rented rooms in the hall in the 1930s when he was inventing the Jet Engine! It is now a hotel.
In 1911 the family were living at 75 Shrubland Street, Leamington. Alfred was now shown as a Carter for the Corporation Parks and Gardens. His wife was now using the name Minnie rather than Amelia. Only their two youngest children were with them: Irene who was working in a Laundry and Minnie.
Vic’s Family
William Charles Woodfield married Minnie Victoria Leadbeater in 1919 in Warwick. They had children as follows: Vic (William Victor) 3 November 1919, Minnie M A 31 May 1921, Maud A 1926, Edna J 1929, June O 1931, Harry 1933, Margaret J 1936 and possibly also twins Frank A and William C in 1942. Vic was born in Nuneaton and all the others in the Warwick district.
In 1921 William and Minnie were living in the household of Minnie’s parents at 6, Priory Street, Leamington. William had been a machine operator at the Daimler Car Works in Coventry but was out of work at the time. With them were their first two children.
Minnie’s father was now working as a Builder’s Labourer for Mr Clarke, Housing Contractor. Another of his married daughters, Marion King, was there with her 1 year old daughter Violette and another grandchild was also present, Henry F Jenkins aged 7.
By September 1939 the family were living at 27 Satchwell Street, Royal Leamington Spa. William (Snr) was working as a Radial Driller at a Motor Works. Vic was working as a Greengrocer’s Errand Boy. His sister Minnie was a Kitchen Maid. Another sister, Edna, was also present and it is likely that the other four children born by then were there too, though some records were closed.
An item in the Royal Leamington Spa Courier and Warwickshire Standard of 03 November 1944 which reported Vic’s death gives more information about his life: “Pte. W.V. Woodfield, 24, eldest son of Mr & Mrs W. Woodfield, 27, Setchwell St, Leamington, was killed in action on October 13th. In civil life he was employed by Messrs Sykes Fruit Stores. Spencer Street. Pte. Woodfield, who was born in Leamington, was educated at the National School. He joined the colours at the age of 19, serving with the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry. He was engaged to be married to a Leamington girl.”
Vic’s father died in 1966 and his mother in 1976, both in the Warwick district.
Military Career
Vic enlisted on 15 February 1940 at Shrewsbury. He stated that he was born on 3 November 1919 in Nuneaton. He gave his address as 27 Satchwell St, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire and named his parents, Mr & Mrs WC Woodfield, at that same address as his next of kin. He was described as being 5ft 9in tall and weighed 142 lbs. He had grey eyes and brown hair. He was employed as a Greengrocer’s Assistant.
On enlistment, he was posted to the Infantry Training Centre for the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. On 12 June 1940 he was posted to the 50th Holding Battalion and then five days later to the 5th Battalion of the KSLI. This battalion formed part of the 114th Infantry Brigade of the 38th (Welsh) Infantry Division. It remained within the United Kingdom on home defence duties.
On 19 January 1942 he was assigned to the Employment Platoon at HQ of 38th (W) Division and posted to Division Protection. It isn’t certain what this role will have involved. On 16 June 1944 he was confined to barracks for 8 days for being found gambling in the barrack room the day before.
He was posted back to the 5th Battalion KSLI on 21 June 1944 and then to 41 Reinforcement Holding Unit three days later.
He embarked for North West Europe on 1 July 1944 and was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the KSLI on 9 July.
The battalion was part of the 185th Infantry Brigade, which included the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment. The battalion had taken part in the D-Day landings (Operation Overlord). and then fought in the Normandy Campaign. It was just after Operation Charnwood which was part of the battle for Caen that Vic joined his battalion. His first experience of fighting in Normandy will have been in Operation Goodwood which began on 18 July. By mid August the Battalion was still in Normandy, but was able to spend time resting and reorganising. They moved across the Seine on 3 September where they remained until 19 September.
Operation Market Garden had begun on 17 September. This attempted to use airborne troops combined with land troops to drive a corridor up through Belgium and the Netherlands to cross the Rhine.
The Battalion moved to Peer in Belgium on 19 September then Asten in the Netherlands on 23 September. However, by 24 September it was realised that Operation Market Garden had failed to capture the bridge at Arnhem, so the Allied forces were left in a rather precarious narrow salient through the Netherlands.
By 2 October, the 2nd Battalion were at Mook which is on the east bank of the River Maas, south of Nijmegen and north of Overloon. They remained in that area until 8 October. The aim had been to attack the enemy to the east in the Reichswald Forest, but priorities changed to widening the salient by heading south to take Overloon, Venray and cross the Maas at Venlo. The Battalion therefore moved down to Oeffelt then reached Rijkevoort on 12 October.
At first light on 13 October, the Commanding Officer and Company Commanders carried out a reconnaissance of the woods south of Overloon through which the Battalion was to pass while the Battalion reached its assembly position about 1,000 yds north of Overloon prior to the attack itself which began at 12 noon.
The battalion had the support of one squadron of Churchill tanks from the Coldstream Guards and an artillery barrage. The plan was for W and Z companies to be the two forward companies on the left and right respectively. Y company were to advance on the eastern edge of the woods and give protection to the attack from that flank. X Company were to be in reserve. The attack proved difficult as the Churchill tanks were bogged down or delayed by minefields and radio communication in the thick woods was abysmal. The two forward companies managed to reach approximately the intended positions, but Y company found that the edge of the woods on the map was far from clear on the ground. They managed to reach their area after much wandering about the woods. However, the War Diary reports that “Lt. Bellamy and Sgt Ruff killed and bn suffered about 17 other casualties during the day”. One of the 17 other casualties who died that day was Vic. He was initially buried alongside four other men of his regiment who died that same day and who remain alongside each other in the Overloon CWG Cemetery: Herbert Sydney Bayley, Michael Hardy Child Bellamy, John Fereday, and Leslie Harrison.
He had served for 4 years and 242 days of which 106 days were in North West Europe. He was awarded the following medals: 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45.
He is also commemorated on the War Memorial at Euston Place, Leamington Spa.
