12 Facts About Geoffrey Woolley

Geoffrey Woolley was the first British Territorial Army officer to be awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Geoffrey Woolley had seven sisters and three brothers, including the famous archaeologist Sir Leonard Woolley and George Cathcart Woolley, a colonial administrator and ethnographer.

Geoffrey Woolley was educated at Parmiter's School, Bethnal Green, St John's School, Leatherhead and The Queen's College, Oxford.

Geoffrey Woolley seemed destined to follow his father into the Church until the outbreak of the First World War, when he obtained a commission in the Queen Victoria's Rifles, the 9th Battalion of the London Regiment of the British Army.

Geoffrey Woolley refused verbal and written orders to withdraw, saying he and his company would remain until properly relieved.

Two days later Geoffrey Woolley was promoted directly to the rank of Captain.

Geoffrey Woolley saw further action in the early stages of the Second Battle of Ypres until he was invalided back to England suffering from poison gas and psychological effects.

When Geoffrey Woolley had recovered, he was appointed as an instructor at the Officers Infantry School.

Geoffrey Woolley returned to the Western Front in summer 1916 as a General Staff Officer Grade II on the Third Army Staff.

In January 1940 Geoffrey Woolley resigned from the school and was commissioned into the Royal Army Chaplains' Department.

Geoffrey Woolley was appointed Senior Chaplain of the Algiers area in November 1942, reaching the rank of Chaplain to the Forces 3rd Class.

Geoffrey Woolley took on the parish of St Mary's, Harrow on the Hill, in 1944.