WOOD, Keith Bertram
| Service Number: | 2474 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 20th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Ellangowan, Richmond Valley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Technical High School, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Commercial traveller |
| Died: | Died of wounds, France, 28 July 1916, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, Daours, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2474, 20th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2474, 20th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: '' | |
| 6 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2474, 20th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sydney Technical High School
Keith Bertram Wood was born in October 1896, the only child of Lillie and James Burness Wood. He grew up in Normanhurst and Ellangowan, New South Wales, and attended Sydney Technical High School between 1911 and 1914. School records show that he was a capable student, excelling in drawing and metalwork. His results card from 1912 offers a glimpse of him as a young man with promise and ambition, connected to his school community and family.
Keith enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 4 August 1915 at the age of 19. He was posted as a private to the 20th Battalion, and embarked from Sydney on HMAT Ballarat in September 1915. After training, he entered the trenches in France on 2 May 1916 and spent three months in the firing line. Conditions were harsh, with long marches, heavy loads, and life in damp, disease-ridden trenches. Keith fought at the Battle of Pozières, where he endured the strain and danger faced by so many young Australians.
On 28 July 1916, during the fighting on the Somme, Keith sustained wounds from which he did not recover. He died the same day, aged just 19. He was buried at Warloy-Baillon Cemetery in France. Newspapers of the time recorded the grief of his family, describing him as the “only beloved son” of Lillie and James Wood. His name was later inscribed on the Sydney Technical High School Honour Board, ensuring his memory remained part of the school’s history.
Keith Bertram Wood’s life was short but marked by courage, duty, and sacrifice. His story reflects the experience of many young Australians whose futures were cut short by war. His service is remembered through his grave in France, on memorials in Australia, and in the continuing respect of his community.
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