Victor Benjamin Woodland - Lest We Forget

Victor Benjamin Woodland was born December 12, 1882 at Simcoe, Ontario. He was the son of James and Mary Woodland. Mary Woodland died at Point Grey in 1927 at age 70. Victor had two brothers, George and Gladstone Woodland, who also served in the war. George died in Vancouver in 1958 at age 65. Gladstone died at Williams Lake in 1976 at age 83. Victor also had two sisters, Lillian and Isabella. Lillian died in Vancouver in 1960 at age 73. Isabella married George Singer in 1911. Victor worked as a millwright and engineer. His father James was a mill foreman.

Victor Woodland signed his enlistment papers on October 29, 1915 at Edmonton. His regimental number was 101440. He was 32 years old, single, 5’ 5” tall with brown hair and dark blue eyes. His religious affiliation was Anglican.

Victor, George and Gladstone were all wounded numerous times during the war: Victor twice within a two month period between September and November 1916.

Victor Woodland died May 3rd 1917 near Fresnoy. He was 34 years old. At the time of his death he was a Corporal serving with the 31st Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Alberta) Regiment. His body was never found or identified and his name is memorialized on the Vimy Memorial.

The May 2, 1918 edition of the Revelstoke Review carried this memorial to the death of Victor Woodland:

In Memoriam: In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Sergt. V.B. Woodland, killed in action at Fresnoy, May 3rd, 1917. Enlisted with 66th Battalion, Edmonton, Alta. Inserted by Father, Mother, Brothers and Sisters, 9825, 87th Ave., Strathcona Alta.

 The name of Victor Woodland is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques.

 George Woodland wrote a very touching letter to his mother on his feelings on the death of his brother Victor and other men from Revelstoke who had died in the war. It reads in part, “…a little lonesome without Victor, but when I think he has paid the Supreme Sacrifice for those he loved, I feel as if he had to go. He is missed more by his battalion than I thought he would be, for both the sergeant of his platoon, also his Officer said there was never any man missed so, for he was always willing to go any place with his men, and as his Officer said, he was too daring, having no idea what fear was. One of the boys who was with him told me that when he got hit, and before he took another step forward, he fell saying, “Carry on boys, I’ll make out alright,” but he had no chance as there was four bullets in his stomach. He only lived a few minutes.”