Reginald John Owen Wood

Old Elizabethans Service Roll:
Officer Cadet Wood had just completed the Officer's Training course at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy and was awaiting gazette as an officer in the 4/7th Dragoon Guards . Whilst out on a training exercise with his troop he was thrown from his tank and was caught up in the tracks. Owing to severity of his injuries he died.

Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 4/2/1943: Gun Hit Tree And Mansfield Cadet Was Killed.
Cadet Reginald John Owen Wood aged 21 of Mansfield, a member of a Royal Armoured Corps of the O.C.T.U. was stated at the inquest held at Aldershot to have been riding in an exercise outside the tank and to have been knocked off when the gun, which was traversed almost at right-angles struck a tree causing the turret to spin around. He became entangled between one of the tracks and sprocket wheels.
Capt Hart said he did not consider it unduly dangerous for Wood to ride outside the tank. He was experienced and had almost completed his training. There was no order against directing staff riding in this way.
Recording a verdict "Accidental Death" the coroner remarked "training for war is a dangerous business and there must be accidents".

The interment took place on January 29th , the service being conducted by the military chaplins in the College chapel after which the coffin was conveyed on a gun carriage to the cemetery were it was interred with full military honours.
Newly commissioned officers of his own troop acted as pall bearers and the staff and cadets of the college were in attendance.