William's Story.
Born in 1890 at Alsager, son of grocer, William and Mary Jane, (nee, Mason), Wood, of Crewe Road, Alsager, Cheshire. William was the third child of seven; his siblings were Frank John, Mary, Arthur Mason, Myrtle Annie, Hellen Jane, Jennie. William attested at Burslem, Stoke on Trent, aged 24 years and 8 months on 31 August 1914. His occupation at that time was as a butcher. His medical record shows he was five feet six and quarter inches tall weighed 116 lbs and had a chest measurement of thirty-four inches. His complexion was described as sallow, he had blue eyes and brown hair, his religion was Church of England.
His service record shows he spent two periods in hospital at Alderney (Channel Islands), in November 1914 with a sore throat and again in June 1915 with scabies.
He was drafted with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force to Mesopotamia on 26 October 1915.
William died of wounds aboard the Hospital Transport ship ‘Blosse Lynch’ on Monday 24 April 1916.
Researched by H.A.G. Carlisle.