B37706 Rifleman James Alfred Woods was born in Belleville, Ontario, on 16 September 1919, the son of Joseph Edward Woods and Sarah Mason. He had a brother Harold who also served overseas in the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps. He attended Kimberly Public School in Toronto and belonged to the Presbyterian Church.

Woods worked as a clerk when he enlisted with the Hamilton militia on 9 February 1940 but was struck off strength on 8 April for non-attendance. On 4 June he enlisted in the active service army with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Depot and was sent to Camp Borden and Sussex, New Brunswick for training.

On 24 March 1941, he married factory worker Miss Gladys Hazel Clayton, daughter of George Clayton and Stella Graham in Toronto.

Woods arrived in Scotland on 29 July 1941 and participated in various training and attachments. He returned to The Queen’s Own Rifles on 26 June 1942 and continued training with the Regiment.

He landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944 with either A or B Company.  On 4 October he qualified as a cook and was transferred to the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps but remained posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles. He served with them as they fought through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

Rifleman Woods became seriously ill on 7 June 1945, was admitted to hospital, and died in the Netherlands on 9 June of a subarachnoid hemorrhage i.e. bleeding around the brain. He is buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference XXII. D. 15.