Lieutenant Harold Vynne Woods

Harold Vynne Woods was born in England on 28th June 1889. He was one of seven children of Edward Burchell Woods and Janet Elizabeth Vynne. His mother died when he was 7, his sister Winnie died when he was 9. At the age of 12 his father remarried. Harold remained at school in England while his family moved to Switzerland. At the age of 14 he moved to London where he began working in a pharmacy. His family returned from Switzerland in 1905, setting up home in Kirkcaldy Scotland. Harold joined them, and began an apprenticeship in cabinet-making. He was 22 when he completed the apprenticeship. Harold and most of his siblings migrated to South Australia before the First World War. Harold found work as a carpenter and boarded in Woodville. In September 1914 he enlisted. Along with his two younger brothers, Alan and Bob, Harold joined the Ambulance Corps, a reflection of values inherited from their Baptist Minister father. Harold and Alan served together in Gallipoli and France. In 1917 Alan was badly wounded and returned to Australia. Harold joined the 16th Australian Infantry Battalion, gaining promotion as lieutenant. He served throughout the war with only one serious injury and without a visit home.

In late October 1918 he was at sea on his way home on special 1914 leave when Armistice was declared. Harold was discharged from the army in February 1919.

Harold returned to Woodville, bought land and built a house at 9 Norman Street, Woodville and established a cabinet making business at the rear of the property. In 1920 he married Marjorie Stanford and they lived in that home for 37 years. Their three children, David, Peter and Judith were born and grew up there. At one time the three Woods brothers all lived in virtually the same street: Harold at No. 9 and Bob at No. 11 Norman St. and Alan at the Kilkenny end of Windsor Avenue, a continuation of Norman Street.