Lance Corporal John George Woodruff, 8th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, was the son of George Woodruff and his wife of Great Casterton, and was born at Thorney, Cambridgeshire on 13 September 1894. He was the brother of James Roland Woodruff who also died in the First World War. John was married with one child. He was employed as horseman until he joined up on 10 February 1915. After four months training at Grimsby, he was sent to France, where he served with the 1st Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment until February 1916, when he came to England after being wounded for a second time. He returned to his depot at Grimsby, received his first stripe, and was promoted to instructor. He was sent to Newcastle for a short period, and then went to Aldershot where he won a first class certificate as an instructor. Next he was sent to Ireland, in October 1917, where he was stationed at Cork for six months, before returning to France. By now he had transferred to the North Staffordshire Regiment and was made Corporal on 29 March 1918. John was seriously wounded on 8 August 1918 and after undergoing a series of operations, died on 31 August at No. 6 Casualty Clearing Station. He is buried in Pernes British Cemetery, grave VI.A.2, and is remembered on Great Casterton's war memorial. He is also remembered on a plaque in Little Casterton's church which orginally hung in Toll Bar Methodist Chapel.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records him as J D Woodruff.