Edward Albert Woodward was born in Melbourne, the eldest of three sons of Albert William and Mary Caldwell (Reid) Woodward. His early childhood was spent at the family property, `Wargam', near Hay, NSW, then on a property in the Charleville district, then at `Ellangowan' on the Darling Downs. He received his early schooling from his mother, and then at Toowoomba Grammar School. When the classics master, WA Purves, was appointed headmaster of Sydney Church of England Grammar School, he took Edward to North Sydney with him. From Shore in 1912 he gained first place in English, Latin and Greek in the senior matriculation examinations, the university medals and the Cooper Classical Scholarship, but he went straight into the faculty of medicine.

He gained excellent results in medicine, had an enviable sporting record, was active in university affairs and editor of Hermes. He graduated high on the honours list and chose to do a short intensive postgraduate term at the Coast Hospital, in place of the usual resident year, so that he could sooner join the Australian Imperial Force. He was posted as RMO of 26 Infantry Battalion, and later to 8 Field Ambulance. For bravery in France he was awarded the Military Cross.

On demobilisation in London Woodward spent six months in postgraduate studies. He then returned home and married, on 30 December 1919, Elizabeth Blanche Dines McDougall to whom he had become engaged before going overseas. EAW bought a practice at Emmaville, a tiny tin-mining town near Glen Innes. When the mine closed down in 1922 he joined his university friend, Dr Eric Holland, in practice at Grafton. Later they were joined by Dr NStC Mulhearn, Dr RH MacDonald, Dr Keith Muston and Dr WR Wilson and formed what was probably the first group practice in Australia.

The doctors in Grafton played a full role in the life of the community. EAW was for many years commanding officer of the 15th Light Horse Regiment, and held high office in many community associations. When war broke out in 1939, disappointed at being rejected on medical grounds for active service, he became a brigade commander in the Volunteer Defence Corps.

His first serious cardiac attack struck suddenly one night in Sydney. Barred from general practice, he continued to work as pathologist to the Grafton Base Hospital. No longer able to run the entire district, he kept himself completely happy translating the poems of Catullus, Horace and other Latin poets into English in the original metre. His poems are in the College library, under the title Poems of a Physician. He died peacefully on 5 October 1950, aged fifty-five.