Ernest Wood
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Ernest was the son of Samuel and Elizabeth Wood (née Brealey). Samuel and Elizabeth were married at Hucknall St Mary Magdalene in September 1888 and had nine children, one of whom died in childhood. Their surviving children were: Arthur Reginald b. 1889, Alice Elizabeth b. 1890, Ethel b. 1892, Albert b. 1893, Ernest b. 29 January 1895, Annie birth registered 1898 (J/F/M), Herbert Cyril b. 1900 and Ada Hannah b. 1903. Baptismal records have been traced for Arthur, Alice, Ethel and Albert who were baptised at Hucknall St Mary Magdalene when in 1890 the family was living on Orchard Street, Hucknall, and for Herbert who was baptised at Newstead Colliery Village church in 1900 when the family was living at 86 Newstead Colliery Cottages. In 1901 Samuel and Elizabeth were living at 86 Newstead Colliery Cottages with their seven children, Arthur R, Alice Elizabeth, Ethel, Albert, Ernest, Annie and Herbert Cyril. Their daughter Ada was born two years later. By 1911 Samuel and Elizabeth were living at 14 Ellis Street, Kirkby. In the home on the night of the census were six of their eight children Ethel, Ernest, Annie, Herbert, Ada and their married daughter, Alice Elizabeth Friebe (m. Richard F Friede 1910) and her son, Carl. Arthur had married Clara Elizabeth Cherry (East Kirkby, 1910) and they were probably living in East Kirkby while Albert, a coal miner ganger, was living in Tibshelf, Derbyshire, where he was a boarder in the household of Thomas and Fanny Brealey. Samuel and Elizabeth were still living at 14 Ellis Street when Ernest was killed in 1916. Ernest's brother, Arthur, an insurance agent, enlisted in September 1917 and was posted to the Sherwood Foresters and then the South Staffordshire Regiment, transferring to the Labour Corps in which he served with the 105 POW Coy and 279 POW Coy before transferring to 729 Labour Corps. He served overseas and was serving with the 729 Labour Corps when he was posted to the UK on 2 December 1919 for demobilization. He transferred to 'Z' Class Army Reserve on the 4th December.
According to CWGC records, Wood was killed while serving in HMS Tipperary. However his Naval Service Record shows that he served in Tipperary from 15/2/1916 until 15/4/1916 before transferring 16/4/1916 to HMS Hecla. HMS Hecla was formerly a merchant ship, transferred to the RN for use as a depot ship, and was based at Scapa Flow with the 4th Destroyer Flotilla. HMS Tipperary joined the 4th Destroyer Flotilla - Captain (D) - in May 1916. Hecla is not in any lists for Jutland and I can’t find anything to show that she was in action on 1 June. Therefore, I think it very likely that Wood was drafted to Tipperary from the depot ship having previously served in Tipperary, probably when she was with the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla. See below. (Although I’ve seen references that she came from the 3rd and 2nd destroyer flotillas). HMS Tipperary sank at about 0200 on 1 June although she had been severely damaged the day before. About 15 of her crew survived. I suspect that in terms of the death certificates that all the crew were deemed to have died on the day the ship sank, 1 June. Wood's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, May 1916. Carysfort has vacated to the Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron and Tipperary is now bearing the Captain (D), coming from the Ninth Destroyer Flotilla. Broke is now second-in-command, coming from a recent appointment with the Second Destroyer Flotilla, while Faulknor has gone to lead the Twelfth Destroyer Flotilla.[23][24][25] Serving in the Grand Fleet: Flotilla Cruiser, Captain (D) Tipperary Flotilla Leader, Second-in-Command: Broke Depot Ship: Hecla Destroyers: Acasta, Achates, Ambuscade, Ardent, Christopher, Cockatrice, Contest, Fortune, Garland, Hardy, Midge, Owl, Paragon, Porpoise, Shark, Sparrowhawk, Spitfire Unity, Victor,
Mansfield Reporter 16 June 1916: ‘North Sea Battle. At present we [have] ascertained there are four Kirkby sailors who sacrificed their lives in the recent Jutland naval battle. These are: Petty Officer [John George] Otter of the Invincible, who had been (-) years in the navy, and took part in the Falkland Islands and North Sea Battles, Stoker E [Ernest] Wood, of the Tipperary, Stoker B Atkins, of the Black Prince, and Stoker [Amos] Butler also of the Black Prince. There were a number of other men engaged in the fighting, but these are all the dead [as far] as we know.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Seven ships named HMS Hecla have served with the Royal Navy. Ernest Wood’s vessel was a depot ship which served with the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla at Scapa Flow from 1914-16 then supported the Second Destroyer Flotilla from Belfast in 1917 and 1918. She was sold in 1926. The next HMS Hecla (1940) was torpedoed 11/11/1942 off Morocco but most of her crew was saved by HMS Marne and HMS Venomous.
