Captain Hugh Joseph Woodward, D.S.O., R.N., (20 January, 1886 – 2 June, 1962) was an officer in the Royal Navy who provided good service during the Great War but whose judgment was often questioned by his superiors.
Born in Brompton, London, Woodward listed his mother as his guardian when he joined the Royal Navy by entering the September, 1900 intake term at H.M.S. Britannia. He ranked twelfth of sixty-three candidates in competitive testing upon his entry. Emerging in mid-January, 1902, he served Majestic in the Channel for one year before moving to Implacable in ther Mediterranean, where he served until 30 April, 1905..
On 29 September, 1906 Woodward was granted leave to France until his services were required.
Woodward was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 August, 1907.
On 5 February, 1909 he was admitted to Haslar for a knee ailment. Although he was discharged to duty ten days later, this same or another issue apparently required admission to King Edward VII Hospital on 7 June and then a spell in Osborne Convalescent Home. Then a glandular issue in his neck arose in September. He was finally discharged on 18 October, 1909.
Woodward served in the West River Patrol in China from 23 December 1911 until October 1912, serving in command of T.B. 035 for much of this period.