William John Woodward was born in England and migrated to New Zealand prior to World War One. He enlisted as a Private with the Auckland Battalion and served for approximately four years on the Western Front. On 30 April 1918 he was promoted from Warrant Officer Class II (WOII) to 2nd Lieutenant (Temp), and was serving as bombing officer when he earned the Military Cross. Following the war William Woodward farmed for a period at Glenvar Homestead near Long Bay and was later employed with the Mental Health department. He married but had no children. and although he wore his service medals on Anzac Day he did not wear his Military Cross leaving it in its original case.