Thomas Wood
Wood Brothers
Thiepval Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Thomas Wood was born at Windy Nook, Felling, near Gateshead, County Durham in 1881, one of 10 known children, 6 sons and 4 daughters born to Thomas Wood, native of Wooler, Northumberland born 1846 and his wife Elizabeth Parkinson born 1856 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, whom he married in the district of Gateshead in 1876. He and Elizabeth along with their 4 children, his widowed mother, brother Robert and nephew Adam were living in 1881 at Dixon’s Property, Heworth, Gateshead, Thomas and his brother were employed as coal miners, at the time of George’s birth they were at 4, Albion Street Back. By 1901 their family was complete, Thomas and his elder sons Robert, Thomas Jnr and Andrew were all employed as shifters at the colliery. George's father died between 1901 and 1911, exact date unknown. His widow Elizabeth moved to 1, Drummond Row, Windy Nook, Gateshead supported by her three youngest sons, Andrew (26) a hewer, George (19) employed as a putter, William known as Willie (15) was a pony driver. Thomas Wood Jnr had married a local girl from Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, named Margaret, in 1907, in 1911 they were living at 7 Palmer Row, Windy Nook with their young daughter, Laura, born in 1908.
On the outbreak of war in 1914 Thomas Wood was one of the first to enlist at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, assigned as Private 129 to the 20th Battalion (1st Tyneside Scottish) Northumberland Fusiliers. Initially training in Newcastle City centre the 1st Tyneside Scottish moved to Alnwick camp, in the grounds of Alnwick castle January 29th 1915, they joined 102nd Brigade, 34th Division at Ripon in June 1915, moving in late August to Salisbury Plain to begin final training. They proceeded to France in January 1916 and by the 15th all units were concentrated at La Crosse, east of St Omer. They were in action during the Battles of the Somme, including the capture of Scots and Sausage Redoubts, attacking just north of the village of La Boisselle, not far from Albert. At 7.28 am on 1st July 1916 two great mines were detonated beneath the German positions, one to the north of the village and one to the south. At 7.30 am the whistles sounded and the attack began. The 1st Tyneside Scottish had 500 yards to cover, under heavy machine gun fire, before reaching the German lines, 26 Officers and 564 men from this battalion lost their lives that day.
After days of battle and regimental roll call the now Lance Corporal 20/129 Thomas Wood Northumberland Fusiliers could not be found, presumed dead. The CWGC has adopted July 1st 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme as the date of his demise. He was 35 years old. His sacrifice is recorded as one of the 72,246 names of servicemen from the Commonwealth and South Africa inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Thiepval, France commemorating those who died in the sector 1915-1918 and who have no known grave.
His widow Margaret received all monies due to him, a pension for herself and their daughter along with his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
All four of the, “younger” Wood brothers enlisted. Private 21036 Andrew Wood served along with his brother George in the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He died January 6th 1916 aged 31 years and single, interred at Brewery Orchard Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, Nord, France, recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory medal.
George Wood enlisted as Private 21063 assigned to the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He is deemed to have died either killed in action or to have died of wounds received in action, October 8th 1918. His sacrifice is recorded on Special Memorial 1 Beaurevoir British Cemetery, Aisne, France. His memorial is one of only 4 erected to soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried amongst the 300 casualties commemorated within the cemetery, almost 50 of which are unidentified. Private Wood was 26 years old and left a widow Mary and daughter, recipient of the 1914-15 Star, British war Medal and Victory Medal.
William Woods known as Willie enlisted aged 19 years and was assigned to the Royal Naval Division as a Private. He was the only one to survive the conflict of WW1 as he is listed along with his mother and siblings as, “ next of kin, “ to both Andrew and Thomas in documents dated 1919 in relation to a war pension to be assigned to Mary Wood their mother and also Thomas’s wife.
Transcription error in newspaper cutting related to Wood brothers, third from the left and deceased should read as Andrew.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Thomas Wood is remembered at Heworth on H92.04 and H92.07 and at Windy Nook on W95.02
