Private/ Corporal Hamilton Woods
Number: 9512/ 40976
Company: 54th (Belfast) Company, 13th Battalion, First Contingent/ 133rd (Irish Horse) Company (Ulster), 29th Battalion, Third Contingent
ENLISTMENT
Date: 19 January 1900/ 14 January 1902
Place: Belfast/ Belfast
Age: 28 years stated on first enlistment. (Born 15 November 1867 at Errigal, near Cootehill, County Cavan.)
Trade or calling: Groom/ Groom (also recorded as grocer)
Place of birth: In the Parish of Cootehill, in or near the Town of Cootehill, in the County of Cavan
Address: Redburn, Holywood/ __
Family: Married. Wife Jessie Woods (nee Henderson), of 80 Howard Street South, Belfast. (Married on 9 August 1895 at 13 Baker Street, Aberdeen. At the time both were working at 13 Baker Street - he as a butler, she as a domestic servant.) Father William Woods, coachman, of 57 Silvergrove Street, Belfast. Mother Margaret Woods (nee McConnell) (dec.).
Previous military service: 8th Hussars (1 1/3 years, discharged by purchase).
Description: Height 5' 7". Complexion fresh, eyes grey/ blue, hair brown/ fair. Scar left knee/ Scar right shin; scar left knee; tattoo U. I. Y. left forearm.
Religion: Church of England. (Recorded as Presbyterian in 1911 Census.)
ACTIVE SERVICE
Date to South Africa: 3 March 1900/ 10 May 1902
Date home: 26 August 1901/ 7 January 1903
Service medal, clasps and other awards: Queen's South Africa Medal. Cape Colony, Orange Free State, 1901, 1902 clasps.
DISCHARGE
Date: 30 August 1901/ 14 January 1903
Place: United Kingdom/ Aldershot
Reason for discharge: The termination of his engagement/ The termination of his engagement
Intended place of residence: __/ 80 Howard Street South, Belfast
Conduct: __/ Good
Special qualifications: __/ Groom
Woods was among the 400 men of the 13th Battalion captured by Boer forces at Lindley on 31 May 1900. He was released on 30 August with most of the other members of the battalion when the British captured Nooitgedacht.
He was wounded at Reddersburg on 3 November 1900. (Another record states he was wounded on 28 January 1901. It is not clear if this was an additional incident or an incorrect date reference.)
At the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 80 Howard Street South with his wife and their three surviving children, and was working as a hall porter.
He died at Maymount Street, Belfast, on September 1931 and was buried in Dundonald Cemetery.
This page last updated 22 August 2026.