Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Great War Memorial Scroll to Second Lieutenant S. C. Woodroffe, V.C., Rifle Brigade

Memorial Scroll ‘2nd. Lt. Sidney Clayton Woodroffe V.C. 8th. Rifle Brigade’; together with a modern mounted group of four miniature dress medals representative of those awarded to the recipient, comprising Victoria Cross, 1914-15 Star; and British War and Victory Medals, traces of backing paper previously having been affixed to reverse of Scroll, otherwise good very fine £400-£500

Dix Noonan Webb, September 2006.

V.C. London Gazette 6 September 1915: Second Lieutenant Sidney Clayton Woodroffe, late 8th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort’s Own):
‘For most conspicuous bravery on 30 July, 1915, at Hooge. The enemy having broken through the centre of our front trenches, consequent on the use of burning liquids, this Officer’s position was heavily attacked with bombs from the flank and subsequently from the rear, but he managed to defend his post until all his bombs were exhausted, and then skilfully withdrew his remaining men. This very gallant Officer immediately led his party forward in a counter-attack under an intense rifle and machine-gun fire, and was killed whilst in the act of cutting the wire obstacles in the open.’

Sidney Clayton Woodroffe was born at Lewes, Sussex, on 17 December 1895 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade on 23 December 1914. He served with the 8th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 25 May 1915, and was killed in action 30 July 1915, in the act of his V.C.-winning exploits. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Woodroffe’s Victoria Cross group of medals is held as part of the Lord Ashcroft V.C. Trust Collection.