Born: 1878, Eccleshill
Died: 28 October 1914
Buried: NKG
Address: 5 Mount Road, Eccleshill
Parents: Samuel & Elizabeth Ann, nee Witton
Spouse: Clara, nee Holdsworth
Siblings: Martha, Mary Ann
Occupation: Labourer
Organisations/clubs:
Military
Rank: Pte
Medals/awards:
Rolls of Honour: Eccleshill, Park & St Luke’s; Le Fouret Memorial
Children: Irene
Regiment: Duke of Wellington’s
John Wood
John Wood was born in
1878 in Eccleshill the son
of Samuel and Elizabeth
Ann, nee Witton.
John had lost both his
parents by 1901 when
he was boarding at 57
The Bank, Eccleshill,
and working as a carter
on a farm.
On the 2nd of December
1902 John enlisted for
three years as Private 7244
in the 2nd Battalion of the Duke
of Wellington’s West Riding
Regiment. He was 24 years and 8
months in age and he described his
occupation as a labourer. At the
end of three years he was
placed in the Army Reserve.
In 1911 at 33 years of age
he was boarding with his
maternal grandmother at
25 Nuttall Road and
working as a door porter
at a picture palace.
Later that year John
married Clara Holdsworth
and they lived at 5 Mount
Road, Eccleshill. They had
one daughter Irene who was
born in 1913.
As a result of being in the Army
Reserve he was re-called on the
outbreak of war on the 4th of
August 1914.
John’s Battalion landed at Le Havre
on the 16th of August 1914 and he
fought in the Battle of Marne 7th to
the 10th September which halted
the German advance into France.
He was then involved in the Battle
of the Aisne 12th to the 15th when
both sides had to dig in and this
action became the root of trench
warfare.
It was at the Battle of Le Bassee
10th October to the 2nd of
November 1914 when John was
killed in action on the 28th of
October 1914. He was 36 years of
age.
He is remembered on the Le Touret
Memorial which commemorates
men who were killed in this sector
of the Western Front from the
beginning of October 1914 to the
eve of the Battle of Loos in
September 1915 and who have no
known grave.
This part of the Western Front was
the scene of some of the heaviest
fighting in the first year of the war,
including the Battle of Le Bassee.
John left his effects to his widow
and child. Clara received £1.19.1d
on the 1st May 1915 and his
daughter Irene £3.18.0d on the
22nd July 1915. Clara received his
War Gratuity of £5.0.0d on the 18th
June 1919.
Researched and written by Jean
Britteon, to whom many thanks
The following piece appeared in the Shipley
Times & Express on 25 December 1914, page
6:
Another Eccleshill soldier, Pte John Wood,
Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regt, has
yielded his life for King and country.
Wood was within a fortnight of finishing his
time with the reserve when war was declared.
He was called to the colours and sent to
Dublin.
While stationed there, he wrote home to say
that “the General commanding the force is
giving us a stiff time for we are route marching
twelve miles a day with full pack.”
Going with the original
Expeditionary force, Wood took part
in the historic fight at Mons. Here
he and others were cut off from the
main body for four and a half hours
and had to travel 18 miles before
regaining the lines of the Allies.
Their impression at the time was
that they were the only survivors of
their regiment but after crossing the
French border they were put in
touch with other stragglers.
It was in this battle that Wood’s officer Col
Gibbs, received injuries which proved fatal.
Pte Wood had been servant to his colonel for
three out of the eight years he was in the
army. The photograph shows Wood in
servant’s dress.
Wood also fought at Cambrai. For eight
weeks after that event no news was sent
and then his wife, who resides at Mount
Road, received word from the War
Office that her husband had been killed
in action on October 28th.
His army papers testify to an excellent
character and also show he was a first-
rate shot.
Inspector Raistrick of the Bradford City Police
Force was brother in law to the dead hero.
