Who was Woodbine Willie?
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Published 2023-12-12
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“Woodbine Willie”, or to give him his real name, the Reverend Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy was a British Army chaplain in the First World War.
He was one of those Christians who believed that the the church should not wait for people to come to it but should go out to the people.
And it was this belief that took him to the Western Front. There he quietly listened to the fears and worries of ordinary soldiers and shared his Woodbine cigarettes with them…gaining him the nickname: “Woodbine Willie”.
Loved by officers and men alike, he stood up to generals who didn’t like his sermons, and was awarded the Military Cross for bravery.
When he died, thousands thronged the streets of his adopted city of Worcester to say farewell.
This is the story of “Woodbine Willie”, the soldier’s chaplain.
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Link to my video about Theodore Hardy VC
• Britain's Most Decorated Army Chaplai...
Rev. Geoffrey Studdert Kennedy MC - British Army Chaplain - 1883 - 1929
Born: Leeds
Died: Liverpool
Buried: Worcester (St. Jonh's Cemetery)
Memorials to Woodbine Willie in Worcester include:
Millenium Window (cloisters, Worcester Cathedral)
Statue (Cornmarket)
Studdert Kennedy House
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:41 Leeds Childhood
1:27 Ordination
2:05 Worcester
3:03 Woodbine Willie
4:20 Front Line
5:17 Theodore Hardy
5:43 Awarded Military Cross
7:39 Poetry
8:41 After the War
9:30 Death & Funeral
10:22 The History Chap
Sources used for this talk include:
History West Midlands
Worcester cathedral Archives
National Catholic Reporter
Wikipedia
National Army Museum
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My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.
History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.
My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"
Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.
Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.
All Comments (21)
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Retired Vicar and RAF vet chaplain, saluting this wonderful rendition of Mr. Kennedy's biography.
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Truly, a man of the cloth who practiced what he preached. He followed his heart and soul to the poorest areas and eventually to the front lines of World War I. I mean he was truly something special, going out to bring back wounded soldiers under fire and going out for supplies. Truly, all of the chaplains deserved the title Royal, the fact that he was a poet inspires me. RIP Woodbine Willie 🙏vaya con Dios y en paz descansen.
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Thanks for this. Never heard of this Reverend before. If only there was many more people like him..... in government especially.
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What a fantastic man and so sad that he passed away so young I tried woodbine cigarettes as a kid and never again
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Great to see a video on this exceptional army padre, most old soldiers of my age, not far off 70,knew of 'Woodbine Willie' but it's great that you are keeping his memory alive, incidently, my grandad, like a lot of old soldiers, smoked Woodbines as a hangover from his service in World War One, I snook one when I was about ten years old and thought I was going to die and when I saw my grandad a few days later, old soldier that he was said, 'I hope one was enough for you', it was.
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Incredibly moving. Why do we not have statues for such as he? The phrase 'they don't make them like him anymore' comes to mind.
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That was lovely Chris. Thank goodness for men like Woodbine Willie and Theodore Hardy.
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Thanks again Chris for a ripper telling. I have seen some brilliant and not so brilliant padres in my military career, when we got our first female padre before I retired. She couldn't work why everyone called he madre! And it got the better of her and visited me in the RAP and asked why she was being called "madre". I explained that a padre was also known as father. The penny dropped. Cheers, love the channel.
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A true inspiring gentleman. Thank you Chris
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love watching the history you put out like this one. Even this man was a chaplin in the army but he was there in the thick of the fighting comforting the troops. And helping them to write letters home and give out the woodbine to the troops. What history this man had and he was so brave and the troops loved him
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Yes, I know about Woodbine Willy but still one of the more uplifting stories of that terrible war. Thank you Chris.
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What a character ... a person who associated with, empathised with and felt concern for those whom he had responsibility ... and a belief in social justice - tremendous, and thanks for sharing this story :)
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a true smarten Humble kind and as always there went above and beyond to Help his fellow man in peace and war time ❤ ❤❤❤ thanks for putting this documentary together
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Really moving story of a saintly man. A real example to anyone who hears it. Thankyou for telling it.
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Another brilliant story from you Chris on a brilliant man who was so down to earth yet who championed the plight of ordinary folk and the injustices they went through. Fantastic depiction of a true hero who slipped under the radar as it were but brought to us in your brilliant unique way. Thank you sir.
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Thank you Chris for introducing me to this fascinating gentleman.
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Thanks again Chris. Another fascinating story. What a generous and unselfish human being.!
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Thanks, Remember my Grandfather taking about this..😢
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What a fascinating man. Thanks for sharing the story of the chaplains, they are often overlooked or mischaracterised
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Thank you for this video. Studdert Kennedy definitely deserves to be remembered. My grandfather was in the trenches, and had the greatest admiration for him. I still have my grandfather's copy of "The Unutterable Beauty": the collection of his poems. They are worth reading, especially remembering the conditions that inspired them.
