WOOD, William Ferguson
| Service Numbers: | 358, 2241 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 October 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Bowden, South Australia, 27 September 1891 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Holder Public School |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 6 August 1915, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Beach Cemetery - ANZAC Cove Plot 2, Row H, Grave 5, Beach Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board, Waikerie Ramco Men Roll of Honor WW1, Waikerie War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 358, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Dec 1914: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 358, 9th Light Horse Regiment, Discharged medically unfit | |
| 10 Feb 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia | |
| 23 Jun 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2241, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 23 Jun 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2241, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2241, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 6 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2241, 10th Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli |
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William Ferguson Wood was born in Bowden on 27 September 1891, to William James Wood and Catherine nee Hood. It is likely that he was their first child, named after his father and born the same year of his parents' marriage. He had four brothers and four sisters and his family had ties to the Ramco/Waikerie region of South Australia. His medical descriptions present him as 5 ft 6½ in, dark brown hair, grey/hazel eyes and fair complexion.
At the time of his initial enlistment he was aged 23 years and 1 month. His parents had died and he was working as a labourer. He lists his younger brother, Frank or Francis Wood as his next of kin. He initially enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was posted to the 9th Light Horse Regiment B Squadron on 21 October 1914. He never saw active service with this regiment as he was declared medically unfit and discharged on 26 December 1914, perhaps due to injury or illness.
On the 10th February 1915 he re-enlisted for the 10th Battalion Infantry and joined the 6th Reinforcements only a few days after his nineteen year old brother Frank, Francis Aquila Thomas Wood. During their training there was only one mention of misconduct, when both William and Francis were absent without leave for a day. William, perhaps being the eldest and therefore more responsible, received a harsher punishment. The two brothers would have kept each other company during their training.
The brothers embarked from Adelaide for service overseas aboard HMAT Borda on 23 June 1915. From Egypt William embarked for Gallipoli aboard HMAT Berrima on 31 July 1915. Around this time the two brothers would have been separated. Francis, having contracted measles, was transferred to a hospital in Lemnos. At Gallipoli William was taken on strength from the 6th reinforcements on 4 August 1915. Two days later on 6 August William was killed in action.
William is buried at Beach Cemetery in Gallipoli, Plot 2, Row H, Grave 5, at the Southern point of Anzac Cove. His personal effects were posted home from Egypt and collected by his sister Miss May Wood. Francis returned to Australia 6 November 1918 and made an effort to trace records of his brother's service, details of his burial and claim his medals and memorials.
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William WOOD was interred in the Beach Cemetery at Gallipoli on 6-10-15 and a service performed by the Reverend J.C. McPHEE. His relatives received a Memorial Scroll & a Memorial Plaque. They also received his medals, a 1914-1915 Star, A British War Medal and a Victory Medal on the 26th February 1923.
Williams tombstone has the inscription “WHILE YOU LIE IN PEACEFUL SLEEP, YOUR MEMORY WE WILL ALWAYS KEEP” which was requested by his brothers and sisters.
He is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial on the Roll of Honour as well as being commemorated with a tree and plaque in the WAIKERIE War Memorial Gardens.
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