Private James Park Woods VC
On 18th September 1918 the Allies attacked the daunting Hindenburg Line, which was the last German bastion on the Western Front in World War 1. One of the attacking battalions was the 48th, made up of men from Western and South Australia. The 48th charged into a section of the Hindenburg Outpost Line, where the enemy offered only token resistance before surrendering as the Diggers stormed into the trenches. The total number of prisoners taken by the 48th Battalion was 480 officers and men, which was more than the entire number of men from the 48th engaged in the operation. The 48th dug in whilst the 45th and 46th Battalions continued the assault. Later in the evening the 48th was ordered forward to cover the right flank of the 46th Battalion facing Bellenglise, as British troops had not attacked.
The 48th moved up and overran several enemy posts in the darkness, but a halt was called once Pen Trench, which was protected by a barbed wire entanglement, was reached. The British were nowhere to be found on the right flank; therefore the 48th Battalion dug in whilst Lieutenant Robert Reid led a small reconnaissance patrol into the enemy trenches in an attempt to locate the British left flank
A few shells exploded in the area, but Lieutenant Reid decided to search Entrepot Trench and sent Private Reid, who was lightly wounded, back to Headquarters, whilst he and Private James Park Woods (from Caversham in WA) proceeded down the trench. Reid and Woods suddenly entered a machine gun post, at the junction of Entrepot and Pen Trenches. The post was garrisoned by thirty Germans, with six machine guns. Jimmy Woods wrote:
‘We moved as quietly as we could and suddenly as I came to a traverse, I heard voices and the next moment by the light of a flare, I caught sight of a German helmet…The next thing there was a challenge in German and I could see the Hun with his rifle and bayonet pointed at the officer’s stomach. Up went his hands, there was nothing else he could do…So I shouted at the top of my voice, fired off my rifle as quickly as I could reload and made the Jerries believe that it was an attack in progress. Luckily for me they panicked and went for their lives. They left four or five machine guns and then the officer and I attended to a number of them hiding in a dugout. We threw bombs down the steps, and those that weren’t killed, didn’t try any funny tricks after that! The Lieutenant had a quick look around, saw what a strong position it was from the Hun point of view and asked me if I was prepared to stay there and try to hold the Boches off until he could get back with reinforcements.’
Private Jimmy Woods (who was not accepted for enlistment in WA until 1916, due to his short stature) shot one German and captured another; whom he disarmed whilst the enemy garrison fled the post. Lieutenant Reid ordered Woods to hold the post while he went for help, but became lost en route. Meanwhile, the enemy realised they had been driven out by a small force and attempted to recapture their post with successive attacks, which emanated from three trenches and across open ground under the cover of darkness.
To facilitate observation of the enemy’s movements, Woods mounted the parapet, opened fire and inflicted several casualties and refused to be dislodged despite the overwhelming numbers. Jimmy Woods wrote:
‘It was just an order and I tried to carry it out. I was there for two hours alone. The Boche tried several attacks over the top, but I managed to keep him off with bombs and by using his own machine guns against him. The only thing that did worry me was when he began to shell the position with gas shells…our own artillery, not knowing of course that there were any of our men there, also began lobbing over gas shells.’
Lieutenant Reid returned with a small party, just as the enemy attempted a concerted attack to overwhelm the post. The Diggers fired on the enemy and passed Mills bombs up to Woods, who was still up on the parapet. Woods, although slightly gassed during the barrage, tossed the bombs at the enemy and drove them back. Lieutenant Robert Reid wrote:
‘Fully thirty men were pitted against this one lad when I returned with reinforcements. This strongpoint was the key to the situation, so far as our job was concerned and we were enabled by bending back a little on the right to connect up with the British. As soon as the position was assured, Woods took a report back to his company commander over the top, exposed to snipers all the way and got through safely.’
Private Jimmy Woods was awarded the Victoria Cross.
If you were interested in the above article, you may be interested to know that our next tour leaves Australia for France in April 2025:
WW1 Western Front 1916 – 1918 tour: Belgium & France
Frank Taylor Tour Director & Neville Browning OAM historian and author, team together to offer:
- 14 days tour - with 12 days actually touring the battlefields with Australian military historian Neville Browning, a tour director and experienced local team
- Small number of group participants
- Includes Anzac Day Commemorations – Dawn Service at Villers Bretonneux & afternoon service with the Bullecourt Village Community
- Search assistance for relatives and persons of interest
- No picnic or box meals and no war bore stuff ..
- Relaxing evenings - dining as you choose in rural
towns of Belgium and France - All breakfasts, 9 restaurant luncheons
Our programme is crafted for an exceptionally well informed and balanced tour of Australia’s military history in France and Belgium in The Great War – with the ability to assist with relatives’ research. We offer expert knowledge and commentary. Accurate, exploratory, but not overwhelming, and includes “tourist time” as well.
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This article was kindly supplied by Neville Browning OAM. You can read more about him here, or order his book here.
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