Hugh Kennedy Woods

Hugh Kennedy Woods was the son of a senior army officer, Henry Charles Woods. He was commissioned in the South Lancashire Regiment on 16 March 1898 and served in the South African War. As a Major, he was 2 i/c 6th Battalion South Lancashire Regiment when it was formed in 1914, assuming command of the battalion in November of that year.

As part of 38th Brigade, 13th Division, the South Lancashires went to Gallipoli as reinforcements, arriving in July 1915. Woods’ men, together with the 6th Gurkhas, attempted to take and hold Hill Q in the Anzac breakout attack of 9 August, but this crucial attack ultimately failed, ending in confusion. Woods was invalided home two days later but promoted Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel for his services in the Sari Bair attack. He then commanded a battalion of the Machine Gun Corps.

On joining what eventually became the Tank Corps, he became CO 9th Tank Battalion. He commanded it during the battle of Cambrai and in its successful action in co-operation with the 3rd French Infantry Division of the IX French Corps at Moreuil on 23 July 1918. For this action, the battalion colour was decorated with the Croix de Guerre, and the badge of ‘La Grenadière’ Division conferred upon all ranks.

Woods was made a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur. He was awarded the DSO for personally deploying and directing his tanks in the attack on 29 September 1918. He commanded 2nd Tank Brigade from 18 October 1918 to the end of the war and 5th Tank Brigade as part of the Army of Occupation. From 1920 to 1923 he was Chief Instructor at the Tank Corps Central School.