Home Search Index of men A-Z

LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

Added 26.11.12. Minor edits 13.3.14, 4.4.14, info added 15.8.18.

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

1042, Private George WOODRUFFE — 4th Light Dragoons

Or should it be Woodruff?

Birth & early life

Born in the parish of St. Leonard's, London, c.1819.

Enlistment

Enlisted at London on the 18th of January 1839.

Age: 20 years 1 month.

Height: 5' 8".

Trade: Labourer.

Appearance: Fresh complexion. Hazel eyes. Dk. brown hair.

Service

From Private to Corporal: 1st of April 1846.

Tried by a Regimental Court-martial and reduced to Private on the 7th of July 1846.

Sent to Scutari on the 13th of December 1854, and invalided to England aboard the "Lord Raglan" on the 6th of May 1855.

Tried by a Regimental Court-martial for "irregular conduct" and imprisoned 11th of July — 11th of August 1857.

Transferred to the 18th Hussars on the 1st of March 1858. Regimental No. 367.

From Private to Corporal: 1st of April 1858.

Corporal to Sergeant: 3rd of November 1859.

Discharge & pension

Discharged from Hounslow on the 18th of March 1863.

"Free, at own request after 24 years' service."

Served 24 years 25 days, to count.

In Turkey and the Crimea: 11 months

In India: 6 years 6 months.

Conduct: "good".

In possession of three Good Conduct badges when promoted and would now have had five. Twice tried by Court-martial.

Aged 44 years 2 months on discharge.

To live in Wimborne, Dorset.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman and Sebastopol.

Commemorations

Life after service

Death & burial

Further information

Wendy Leahy:

SURNAME: Woodruff

FORENAMES: John

BORN: Stockport

OCCUPATION: Clerk

FATHER: James Woodruff, Cotton Manufacturer

REGIMENT NO: 1228

ENLISTED: 06 January 1839

RANK: 1844: Private, Paymaster Sergeant

[1854]: Paymaster Clerk

1863: Paymaster Sergeant

PROMOTIONS: Private to Paymaster Sergeant 14 July 1844 vice James Clarke discharged

DISCHARGED TO OUT PENSION: 03 February 1863 Newbridge

ADMITTED TO OUT PENSION: 03 February 1863 North London 1

PENSION DISTRICT: 1863: North London 1

1865: North London 1

1866: S. London 1/1

1868 Jersey 1/7

DIED: 9/(8)2 [sic]. Also recorded as 09 [December] 1873

1ST WIFE: Anne Sprint, full age, widow, of King Street, daughter of Thomas Grainger, Joiner

MARRIED: 21 July 1849 [No. 67] at St. Peter's, Athlone, by licence, W.B. Askin, Curate

WITNESSES: William Turkington, John Howze vestryman

NOTES: John Woodruff, full age, bachelor, Sergeant 4LDs, Barracks

TNA SOURCES: WO/12/651

WO/12/667

WO/23/52

WO/23/62

OTHER SOURCES: Honour the Light Brigade

St Peter's Athlone Marriages, Burgess Collection.

[Source: Shadows of Time: John Woodruff (accessed 15.8.2018).]


New on the site Search Index of men W
For further information, or to express an interest in the project, please email the editors, Philip Boys & Roy Mills, viainfo@chargeofthelightbrigade.com