Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

Richard was only 17 years 8 months old when he was killed.                 His family epitaph reads,                                                                    TO THE MOTHERLAND OF ENGLAND,                                                  IN HER HOUR OF GREATEST NEED,                                                    WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S SONS TO HELP THE HOMELAND,                    PATRIOTS TRUE IN WORD AND DEED,                                              SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE NO MATTER WHERE,                                  THEY ARE JUST AS NEAR TO HEAVEN,                                                  AS THOUGH THEY HAD LAIN ON THEIR BEDS AT HOME,                      WHEN THE SIGNAL TO CEASE WAS GIVEN,                                        REST IN PEACE.

Private Richard Henry Wood (2472, 51st Battalion) was a farmer from Donnybrook, WA. He enlisted in July 1915, joining his battalion in March 1916. Richard was killed in action on 15 August 1916 during the battle for Mouquet Farm and is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France. Richard’s mother wrote that he was 17 years 8 months of age at the time of his death. Only eleven days earlier, Richard’s brother, Private George Preston Wood, was killed in action while serving with the 28th Battalion at Pozieres; he was only 18 years old. Another brother, 376 Private Alfred John Wood, served with the 11th Battalion and was wounded at Gallipoli, before being returned to Australia on account of the death of his two brothers, for ‘family reasons.’

Richard Henry Wood was born at Preston via Donnybrook, Western Australia in December 1898 to parents Abraham and Georgina Wood (nee Bishop). He had three sisters and two brothers.
 
Richard’s grandfather William Wood was one of the early settlers in the Donnybrook area taking up land to farm.
 
Richard’s schooling was at Minninup Farm and Donnybrook State School which he attended with his brother George.
 
In June 1910 Richard’s father was severely injured whilst he was engaged in hauling timber piles at Seven Mile Siding, Preston Valley. The timber piles where being used in construction of the Busselton Jetty. His father was conveyed to the Bunbury hospital, but later died from his injuries.
 
In July 1915, Richard enlisted into the AIF at the age of sixteen years at Bunbury. He conducted his training at Blackboy Hill military camp attached to the newly formed 28th Battalion. In October 1915 he embarked for overseas service aboard HMAT Thermistocles from Fremantle. He was part of the 5th reinforcements of the 28th Battalion.
 
He arrived in Zeitoun Egypt where he was posted to a training battalion. Whilst in Egypt he was hospitalised with mumps. When he was discharged from hospital, he was transferred to 51st Battalion in March 1916 at Tel El Kabir.
 
In June 1916 he embarked from Alexandria, disembarking at Marseilles France joining his battalion in the field. It was in early August 1916 that the 51st Battalion reached the frontline near the village of Pozieres.
 
It was on the night of the 15th August 1916 that Richard was involved in an attack towards Mouquet Farm, a heavily defend position by the Germans. As the men of the 51st Battalion advanced towards a trench system known as Fabeck Graben they came under heavy machine gun and artillery fire. It was during this attack that Richard was believed to be killed, with his exact fate to be unknown.
 
Private Richard Henry Wood, service number 2474 of 51st Battalion was killed in action at Mouquet Farm near Pozieres on the 15th August 1916. He was seventeen years of age.
 
Richard has no known grave but is commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial France and is remembered with honour.
 
It was eleven days earlier that Richards brother George serving with the 28th Battalion was also killed in action at Pozieres, he was eighteen years of age.