3495, Rifleman, Arthur WOOD
Aged 33
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Born in Newmarket in Q3-1881[Newmarket 3b:509] to Arthur and Jane WOOD (née EYRES) later of 1 Helena Villas, All Saints, Newmarket.
1891 census...Arthur [9] was at Neales Cottages, Bridge Street, Hungerford withhis father Arthur [35] a horse trainer born Liverpool, his mother Jane [33] born London, and brothers William [8], born Newmarket, Charles [5] born Lambourne and Herbert James [9 months] born Pelscombe, Sussex. 1901 census...Arthur [19] a stableman, was lodging at Romsey Road, Kings Osborne, Stockbridge with the Wiltshire family. His parents and brother Herbert and George [5] born Aldbourn, Wilts, were at Burdett Cottages, Baydon, Wilts. 1911 census...Arthur [29] a stableman, was at 7 Foulden Terrace,Newmarket lodging with Sophie Jessop and her family.His father is recorded as married, a jockey-trainer out of work and residing in Exning. Mother was with brother George at 120 Avenue Road, Acton wih her sister Mary EYRES. |
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He enlisted in Chelsea and military records show him living in Acton, London. The London Irish Rifles had 16 men killed on Christmas Eve 1915, all are named on the
Loos Memorial. The Battalion were holding the line in front of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, thick mud everywhere, German snipers very busy, and remains of soldiers from the
earlier battle of Loos were mixed in the mud. Some men only got out of their position when their boots pulled off, freeing them from the mud. On Christmas Eve the
Battalion must have been a bit more active as they have no one killed for some days before or after. This was the Battalion, legend has it, that earlier that autumn, in the battle of Loos, had dribbled a football across no man's land and kicked it into the German trench before capturing it. The Cambridge Independent Press of 28th January 1916 carried the photo above and the following: LOCAL MEN KILLED IN ACTION Private ARTHUR WOOD, of Exning, Newmarket, son of Mr. Arthur Wood, formerly a well-known jockey. He was for 9 years at Egerton House,with Mr.R.J.Marsh, the King's trainer.He enlisted in the A.V.C. but volunteered for the London Irish Rifles, with whom he was serving when killed on December 24th by the explosion of a mine. He was 35 years of age and unmarried |
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details