William Antony Wood

He is buried in Beersheba War Cemetery , Israel, Grave Reference:M 30.

The following is an extract from 'The Cuthbertian' March 1918 issued no 1: Extract from a letter from the Colonel of the Suffolk Hussars, Nov. 15th, 1917.-I am very sorry I have been unable to write to you sooner to tell you how dreadfully grieved we all are about your son Tony (William Anthony 'Wood) who was killed on the 6th Nov., whilst leading his company. Tony was one of my very best officers, always keen on the work he had to do,and was loved by all the Company, and the whole Battalion, and his death cast quite a gloom on what was otherwise a glorious day for the Suffolk Yeomanry Battalion, who behaved splendidly The whole Division was ordered to concentrate during the night of the sth November,behind the outpost line, and attack the Sheria positions at dawn. Martyn Innington, who was in command of the Company, was wounded very early, so Tony was actually in command of his Company when killed. It was a very difficult start, getting the whole Division into their proper places in the dark, but the attack, though over ground which it had been impossible to reconnoitre, was managed most wonderfully, and it was thanks to our Brigade, which was really unsupported on its right, and which had no artillery to help it, that the Sheria positions were all cap­tured. I am thankful to be able to tell you that from what both the doctor and others told me, he must have been killed instantaneously; his servant was also killed alongside of him, and another officer in the same company close by. Tony and the other officers were buried side by side, and our Chaplain erected a small cross, until a more substantial one can be put up. We have come back to the railway to rest and refit, but I hope will soon be after the Turks again, who seem to be thoroughly disorgan­ised, and retiring as fast as they can. A further extract from The Cuthbertian college magazine July 1918 no 2 TOFTRES, Nofolk -The Church of All Saints' in this little village was crowded on Trinity Sunday evening when the Bishop of Thetford dedicated a carved oak rood-screen, with the Figures, and lectern, which have been given in memory of 2nd Lieut. 'W A. Wood. This young officer was a regular communicant,and was killed while attending to the wounds of his servant. On one of the panels of the screen the following inscription is carved in small lettering: "To the glory of God, and in memory of William Anthony Wood (Suffolk Yeomanry), who fell in Palestine on November 6th, 1917, this screen is given by his parents." After the solemn dedication the Bishop preached a helpful and impressive sermon from the text " A good soldier of Jesus Christ," showing that in the battle of life there are three essentials for a Christian: "Keep close to the Commander," "Guard the lines of communication," and "Never retreat."-From the Church Times.