Donald Percy Woods
The soldier:
Donald Percy Woods enlisted in to the army in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. He was assigned to the Norfolk Regiment and given regimental number 8734.
He was ‘killed in action’ whilst serving as a Corporal in this regiment’s 1st Battalion on the 4th September 1916. He was just 21 years old.
Donald Percy Woods name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France (Pier and face 1 C and 1 D). It is also commemorated on both Snettisham’s memorials and its ‘Roll of Honour’.
The man:
Donald Percy Woods was born on the 31st May 1895 in Snettisham, Norfolk, his birth being formally registered in the autumn of that year. His mother was Fanny Woods, aged 30. Fanny was a single mother, particularly difficult at that time.
Fanny was born and raised in Snettisham. She was the daughter of Ann Mary Woods, who was also a single mother at the time of Fanny’s birth. Later, Ann Mary went on to marry Thomas Godfrey, 12 years her senior, also of Snettisham on the 14th September 1879, in St. Mary’s church, in the village.
Donald had several older siblings, all born to Fanny (father/s unknown);
George (bn. 3rd November 1893), John (bn. 2th August 1887), Alice (bn. 8th May 1891) and Winifred (bn. 9th August 1892) (all these dates being taken form contemporaneous Snettisham School registers)
By the 1901 census, the extended family were all living at Bug Hall, Snettisham. Thomas Godfrey was the head of the household, now aged 68. Thomas’s occupation was recorded as ‘general labourer’. He and Ann had two children of their own living with them; William (bn. c 1881) and Harry (bn. c 1887). Fanny, now 35, was living with them with her children George (now 17), John Riches (13), Alice (9), Winifred (8) and DONALD (5). Also present were her two youngest children, born after Donald, Charlie (Charles Henry – bn. 21st June 1897) and Ada Maria (bn. 31st October 1900). Fanny’s occupation was recorded as ‘shell fish collector’.
Donald went to Snettisham school (still existing as Snettisham’s primary school) for his entire schooling, enrolling on 1st June 1903. His male parent being recorded on the register as ‘Thomas’ (believed Thomas Godfrey – Head of the household in which he lived). All of Donald’s older and young siblings also attending this school.
By the 1911 census the extended family had split into two different homes. Donald, now 15, ‘single’ and a ‘farm labourer’ was living with his grandmother Ann Mary Godfrey (now 66) at an address in station Road, Snettisham. Ann Mary’s husband Thomas had passed away and their sons William (now 30), Harry (24) and Donald’s siblings; George (26), Alice (19), Jack (23) and Charlie (13) were also living with them.
Donald’s mother, Fanny, now aged 46 had moved out to a different address in Snettisham. She was still ‘single’ and still working as a ‘fisher woman’. Fanny had the younger of Donald’s siblings living with her; Winnie (now aged 18), Ada (10) and new children Lawrence (William Lawrence – bn. 20th June 1902), Kathleen (bn. 4th July 1905) and Thomas Kris (bn. 17th April 1906). Winnie had followed her mother’s trade and become a ‘fisher woman’.
Donald’s brother John Riches Woods died in January 1912 at the age of 25.
Following Corporal Donald Percy Woods, 8734 Norfolk Regiment death on the 4th September 1916, Commonwealth War Graves Commission records listed him as the son of Mrs. F woods of 5 Victoria Cottages, Snettisham, Kings Lynn, Norfolk clearly linking him to Fanny and the Snettisham Woods and Gregory families.
Army records of the day also show his personal effects linked to ‘Mother- Francis’. There is also an additional note recording an interest in some property from a ‘Mary A Martins’ potentially a significant girlfriend of Donald.
