Private 14295 Walter John Wood

Killed in Action on Sunday, 1st July 1917, age 28.
Buried in Grave VI. B. 15. at Artillery Wood Cemetery, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

4th Bn., Coldstream Guards. Pioneer Battalion of Guards Division.

Husband of Mary Alice Wood, New Buildings, Keeling Street, Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, 7th September 1915.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library, and Salem Chapel memorials.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/101486/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Walter John Wood registered June quarter 1889 in Dudley.

1901 Census
12 back of Horseley Road, Tipton, Staffs.
Thomas Wood (44, Painter, born Wolverhampton), his wife Elizabeth (42, born West Bromwich), and their 6 children: Thomas James (18, Blacksmith's Striker, born Tipton), William Edward (13, born Tipton), Walter John (12, born Tipton), Harold (9, born Tipton), Horace Albert (8, born Tipton), and Samuel Arthur (6, born Tipton).

Marriage of Walter Wood and Mary Alice Atkin registered June quarter 1908 in Dudley.

1911 Census
13 Ballfields, Tipton, Staffs.
Walter John Wood (22, Foundry Cupola Attendant, born Tipton), his wife Mary Alice (25, born America), and their only child: Doris Vera (1, born Tipton on 3rd April 1909).
A further child, Mary Alice, was born on 30th June 1914.

Personal Data

Walter’s brother, Horace Albert Wood, was killed in action on 11th April 1916 serving with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Horace has no known grave but was likley to have been in action about 1 mile south-east of Boezinge - it is likely that Walter was killed about 1000 yards south west of Boezinge some 15 months later.

According to the Enlsitment Register for the Coldstream Guards, Walter had enlisted on 28th December 1914. It is possible that Walter was a chum of Thomas Carrington as Thomas also enlisted with the Coldstream Guards on that day and had number 14296 - the next in sequence to Walter with 14295. Sadly, Thomas was also to lose his life.

After Walter's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £9/10/11d (9 pounds, 10 shillings and 11 pence); this was paid to his widow Mary Alice, in November 1917. His War Gratuity was £11/10/0d (11 pounds and 10 shillings), this was also paid to Mary Alice in December 1919.

Walter's widow, Mary Alice, was awarded a grant of £5/0/0d, and then a Widow's Pension of £1/2/11d (1 pound, 2 shillings and 11 pence) per week for herself and her 2 children, this was effective from 14th January 1918. Her address was given as New Building, Keeling Street, Tipton, but later amended to 12 Horseley Road, Tipton, so it appears that she moved to live with her in-laws, presumably for financial reasons.

Action resulting in his death

The 4th Battalion, Coldstream Guadrs (4/CG) were the Pioneer Battalion of the Guards Division, mainly involved in engineering and construction tasks. The Guards Division had seen action at the Battle of Loos and the Somme (Flers), and were to attack at Pilkem Ridge on the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, 31st July 1917. Walter was killed on 1st July, almost a month before this attack; he was the only man from his battalion killed on that day.

The 4/CG had moved to a new location a mile north of Poperinge in mid-June 1917. They supplied numerous working parties in preparation for the Third Battle of Ypres, frequently in the Boezinge area which was 5 miles east of their camp.

The 4/CG War Diary for 1st July 1917 relating to No.4 Company records:
80 men continued work on the new Communication Trench through Boesinghe Chateau grounds by night,
25 men lowered Hunter Street west of Chasseur Farm by night.
KILLED. No. 14295 Pte. W.J. Wood (No.4 Company)

Both Boesinghe Chateau and Chasseur Farm are within a mile south of Boesinghe (today Boezinge). Walter could have been on either working party but most likely at Chasseur Farm. His body was exhumed from very close to Chasseur Farm in September 1919 and re-buried in Artillery Wood Cemetery, just over a mile eastwards.

Newspaper Cuttings

Birmingham Daily Post 28th July 1917
RANK AND FILE: MIDLANDS MEN.
The following casualties amongst warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men are reported under various dates:
KILLED
Coldstream Guards, Wood, 14295, W.J., (Tipton).