Cpl Roy Howard Woollams

Roy Howard Woollams was born in Ponsonby, Auckland on 30 August 1898 (reg. 1898/2658). His parents were David Edwin and Harriet Ann Denton Woollams (nee Dash) who married in 1897 (reg. 1897/1828). Harriet had arrived in New Zealand from London on board the 'Arawa' in 1892. Roy's mother Harriet died on 12 December 1902, when he was just four years old (reg. 1902/6422). Harriett was buried in Purewa Cemetery in Auckland. In 1908 his father remarried to Bertha Elizabeth Powell (reg. 1908/1849). Roy worked as a clerk. He enlisted to fight in World War I on 27 June 1916, serving with the Entrenching Battalion (Service No. 29533). On 4 October 1917 Roy was reported wounded with a gunshot wound to the shoulder. He was made Corporal on 16 December 1917. Corporal Roy Howard Woollams was killed in action in France on 8 May 1918, aged 19. His body was buried in a shallow grave. On 11 June 1920 the family were advised that his body had been 'removed from an isolated grave' and 'laid to rest' in the Perth Cemetery (China Wall) at Leper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Roy's medals were sent to his father in Tauranga. Source: Biography by Debbie McCauley http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/remembering_war/topics/show/2409-roy-ho...