Oliver Holmes Woodward CMG MC (1885-1966) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Oliver Holmes Woodward CMG MC

Born 8 Oct 1885 in Tenterfield, New South Wales (Australia)

Ancestors

Son of Sydney Arthur Woodward Snr and Jemima Johnson (Reid) Woodward

Brother of Winifred Edgeworth Woodward and Sydney Arthur Woodward Jnr

Husband of Marjorie Moffat (Waddell) Woodward — married 3 Sep 1920 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Father of Oliver Gordon Woodward

Died 24 Aug 1966 at age 80 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

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Profile last modified 8 Jan 2024 | Created 6 Jun 2020

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1 Biography
2 Sources
3 See also

Biography

Oliver Woodward CMG MC is Notable.

Oliver Woodward CMG MC was born in the Colony of New South Wales (1788-1900)

Oliver Holmes Woodward CMG MC & two Bars was an Australian metallurgist, mine manager and soldier noted for his tunnelling activities at the Ypres Salient during The Great War; becoming just one of two Aussies to be awarded the Military Cross with two Bars. He was an ANZAC who contributed much to the development of the mining industry in Australia.

Captain Oliver Woodward

Formative years

Oliver Holmes Woodward was born in 8th October 1885 in Tenterfield, New South Wales (Australia). He was the son of Sydney Woodward, storekeeper, and Jemima Reid. ^[1] After completing formal education at Tenterfield, he attended Newington College, Sydney in 1903 and 1904. ^[2]^[3]

Oliver became a metallurgist after graduating from the University of Sydney. Early practical mining experience at Irvinebank, North Queensland, was followed by three years at Charters Towers where he worked underground and studied part time at the School of Mines. In 1909 he was awarded the W H Browne Medal for mining and in 1910 the Medal for metallurgy. Further experience underground qualified him as a mine-manager. As such he went in 1913 to Mount Morgan and then to Papua. Late in 1914 he returned to Mount Morgan to recover from malaria. ^[2]

War

Oliver Woodward CMG MC is an Anzac who served in World War One.

On 3rd January 1916, Oliver was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Australian Imperial Force's Mining Corps, in the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company. ^[4]^[5] The tunnelling units were part of the Australian Engineers and were occupied in offensive and defensive mining involving the placing and maintaining of mines under enemy lines, as well as other underground work such as the construction of deep dugouts for troop accommodation. ^[6] Oliver embarked with reinforcements in the February aboard the HMAT Ulysses A38. ^[7]

Oliver Woodward CMG MC was awarded the Military Cross.

Oliver was awarded the Military Cross for actions at Le Touquet on 10-11th June 1916, gazetted on 27th July 1916. ^[8] He was awarded a Bar to the Military Cross for actions at Bony, Aisne on 29th September 1918, gazetted on 15th February 1919. ^[9] He was recommended for appointment as Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for actions at Rejet-de-Beaulieu on 4th November 1918, ^[10] however, the further award of a second Bar to the Military Cross was gazetted on 2nd April 1919; Oliver being only one of two Australians to receive the honour. ^[11] He was Mentioned in Despatches (equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry), gazetted on 31st December 1918. ^[12] He was also awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Post-war

Following his return to Australia 16th March 1919 and subsequent demobilisation, Oliver worked with the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Co. before taking up an appointment at Port Pirie, South Australia, as a general metallurgist with Broken Hill Associated Smelters. ^[2]

On 3rd September 1920 in St John's Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane, Queensland Oliver married Marjorie Waddell. ^[13] They had a daughter and two sons:

Barbara Woodward (1921 ^[14]-)
Oliver Gordon Woodward (1924-2018), served in the 2/6th Australian Cavalry Commando Regiment in New Guinea during the Second World War.
Colin Holmes Woodward (1927 ^[15]-), served in the Royal Australian Navy during the final year of the Second World War. ^[16]

From Port Pirie, Oliver built a distinguished civil mining career, in 1935, becoming general manager of North Broken Hill, and appointed to the board of directors in 1944. He retired as general manager in 1947, but remained a director until 1961.

Oliver made an indelible contribution to the Australian mining industry, being awarded the distinction of appointment as Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Oliver was a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy council, and elected its president in 1940. He was president of the Australian Mining and Metals Association 1952-54. In the 1956 New Years Honours List, Oliver was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for 'services to mining and metallurgy in the Commonwealth of Australia'. ^[17]

Death

Oliver and Marjorie retired to Hobart, Tasmania in 1952. Oliver passed away, aged 80 years, on 24th August 1966 in Hobart; survived by Marjorie, and their daughter and two sons. A memorial plaque to Oliver and Marjorie stands in the Derwent Gardens section of the Cornelian Bay Cemetery, Hobart. ^[2]

Autobiography

Oliver wrote an autobiography and accounts of his wartime experiences and of the Broken Hill mining industry. ^[2]

Film

The 2010 film, Beneath Hill 60, ^[18] admirably displayed the work and risks taken by the men of Oliver's mining company; Oliver being portrayed by actor, writer, and director, Brendan Cowell. ^[19]