In 1911, Michael and Sophia Woolf lived at 3 Fielding Road, Bedford Park. He was a tailor’s manager, born in Bow in East London. They married in 1882. Joseph was their eldest son, born in Kimberley, South Africa in June 1892. Cecilia, born in 1894 had been born in Leeds. Harry (1896), Jeanetta (1897) and May (1900) were born in London. They were Jewish. Joseph was working as a tailor’s cutter. Cecilia was a Civil Service student. In 1901 the family had lived in Willesden.
We are fortunate to have access to Joseph’s Service Records because a majority of the records for “Other Ranks” were destroyed by fire resulting from enemy action in WW2. It seems that Joseph had enlisted at the commencement of conscription at the beginning of 1916. He attested on 28 January at Ealing and joined London Regiment as Private, No.6182 (2/9th (County of London) Battalion (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) London Regiment. His unit moved to near Woodbridge, Suffolk in May 1916 and then to near Warminster, Wiltshire. It mobilised at the end of the year. However, on November 23 1916 Joseph was attached as a part of a draft of reinforcements to 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers. The 9th (Service) Battalion (County Armagh) had landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 108th Brigade, 36th (Ulster) Division in October 1915 for service on the Western Front and had seen service in the Somme. Following his attachment, Joseph was ultimately formally transferred to the Battalion (requiring re-enlistment in the field) and became Rifleman 43389 on 10 May 1917.
The Battalion War Diary describes the Attack on Hill 35 on 16 August 1917, in the early part of The Battle of Paschendaele. The attack was the first and only engagement in which Joseph Woolf participated. He had been in two uneventful front line trench positions for three day stints in between intensive battle training and recreation in rear areas. We do not know which Company of the battalion he was placed. A contemporary report in the Morning Post described the later stages thus:
“The counter-attacks drove in the thinned but still determined line of Irishmen, and they came back across the riddled ground, some of them wounded, all in the last stages of exhaustion, pausing in their unwilling journey to fire at the snipers who harassed them, reaching at last the trenches that they left at dawn, angry, and bitter, and disappointed, but undismayed – the heroes of a splendid failure. For heroes they are, every man of them. They died together, men of Antrim and men of Clare; they died to help each other.”
Joseph received his fatal wounds in this attack. His service record describes his wounds:
16.8.17 Wounded in Action in the Field.
18.8.17 Admitted to 109 Field Ambulance. GSW Face and Legs.
19.8.17 Admitted to No.3 Australian CCS, GSW Face, R Thigh Fracture Jaw.
21.8.17 Died of Wounds.
During the First World War, Brandhoek was within the area comparatively safe from shell fire. Field ambulances were posted there continuously. Until July 1917 burials had been made in the Military Cemetery, but the arrival of the 32nd, 3rd Australian and 44th Casualty Clearing Stations, in preparation for the new Allied offensive launched that month, made it necessary to open the New Military Cemetery. The New Military Cemetery opened in August and continued in use until May 1918. Rifleman Joseph Woolf is buried there, at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No.3, section II, Row A , Plot 1. His family had it inscribed: “ With love from his devoted parents, sisters and brother. Sadly missed”.
After the war the family moved to 19 Esmond Road. Joseph’s parents received his War and Victory medals, and his back pay of £1/12/7 and and a War Gratuity of £4/10/0.
BATTALION WAR DIARY FOR ATTACK ON HILL 35 ON 16 AUGUST 1917
9th (S) Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers August 1917
15th August. Pommern Redoubt 15th Transport (with details) moved to H 8 a (central). Bn. HQ moved to Pommern Redoubt at 9.30 pm. Strength 66 officers, 1070 OR. On command 24 O, 286 OR; Rationed: 42 O, 784 OR.
16th August. At zero (4.45 am) the battalion attacked. Our RIGHT FLANK was in touch with LEFT FLANK of 7/8 Royal Irish Fusiliers (16th Division) and rested on old trench running from Pommern Redoubt to IBERIAN FARM. Left of 16th Division also rested on this trench. Left of our battalion was in touch with right of 13th Royal Irish Rifle Brigade at OLD GUN POSITION north of Pommern.
FORMATION The formation adopted by Bn. was: Coys. A & B in front each covering half Bn. front and Coys. C & D in support each covering one of the Coys. in front. each Coy. was formed in two waves, each wave in two lines leaving each Coy. in 4 lines & Bn. in depth of 8 lines extended 5-6 paces, distance between lines of each wave 2 yards, and between waves, 100 yards.
FIRE OPENED Fire was opened at about 50 yard range with rifles, V/Guns and Rifle bombers.
POSITION OF SUCCESSIVE STAGES At zero waves advanced from assembly positions which ran in a northerly direction from point where old trench to IBERIAN joined DUST TRENCH to point beside OLD GUN POSITION – both these points marked with “X” on sketch. The normal position was roughly kept by right attacking and support Coys. until front wave reached a hastily entrenched position S of S.P. on HILL 35 where enemy opened fire on us and each Coy merged its 2 waves into one on account of casualties. Before this trench and S.P. was taken both Coys had merged into one wave. A & C Coys on the right had heavy casualties almost at Zero and merged into 1 wave before they had advanced more than 200 yards.
Strong opposition was met with at S.P. on HILL 35 which held up advance for 20 minutes in which time 7/8 RIF had got ahead of us as had also the barrage. When HILL 35 was taken 1 Platoon was detached to consolidate it and remainder pushed on until centre had reached double row of wire S and E of GALLIPOLI which was only cut in one or two places. This held up the advance. Heavy MG and rifle fire was brought to bear on us from dugouts, in GALLIPOLI and long range MG fire from direction of AISNE HOUSE, MARTHA HOUSE and HILL 37.
Casualties were very heavy now and it was found impossible to push on and the position outside wire at GALLIPOLI was untenable. So we retired taking up a line along trench running E & W S of HILL 35 and in S.P. on HILL 35. This position was occupied by us with 2 Vickers Guns (108th Bde.) at point marked “X”. These guns wereprotecting left flank of 16th DIVISION which was forward of DELVA FARM. However, long range MG fire from direction of of HILL 37 was enfilading this trench, was not traversed, and causing casualties so we again retired to trench running in a southerly direction from S.P. on HILL 35. This was consolidated and held until 16th DIVISION retired to BLACK LINE and the enemy got on our flank at IBERIAN FARM and again enfolded us. We then retired to BLACK LINE.
NATURE OF GROUND TRAVERSED The ground was very much cut up by shell fire and very heavy to cross.
ARTILLERY SUPPORT was good, but barrage went much too fast.
RESISTANCE This was very stubborn both with MG and rifles, enemy only retired when almost surrounded. Very few allowed themselves to be taken prisoner. They fought practically until every man was killed on HILL 35. Positions were held until our men were right into them.
COUNTER ATTACKS None was launched on our immediate front, but that on 16th DIVISION front was launched in 3 lines with 50 yards distance between them and about 1 yard extension between each man.
Our casualties: Killed 36, wounded 323, shell shock 12, missing 83 missing believed killed 2. Total: 456
