3/193 Sergeant John Wood, 1857-23/9/1916, and12664 Robert John Victor Wood, 21/1/1889-20/4/1917

OBITUARY.

MR JOHN WOOD. 

(Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, September 23. Sergeant John Wood, on leave from Hanmer, died on the Pateena, en route from Lyttelton this morning. He had been unwell during the night, and was found dead on one of the hatches at 6 o'clock this morning. His next-of-kin is Mrs M. Wood, Mornington, Dunedin.

The late Mr Wood was a prominent member of the Otago Early Settlers' Association, and for a number of years was secretary of that body, during which time he did a great deal towards building it up and placing it upon its present footing. He resigned from this position recently to join the R.A.M.C., and went to Trentham. He was subsequently transferred to the wounded soldiers' hospital at Hanmer. He was on his way to Wellington to say goodbye to Sergeant N. Wood, of the Seventeenth Reinforcements. Mr Wood, who leaves a wife and six of a family — four sons and two daughters — had for many years been a keen volunteer, and had also qualified for several certificates for Red Cross work. He passed the medical test betore going into camp, and the last time his family heard from him he expressed great hopes of getting away to the front. One of his sons is at the front, and another is now on his way. Much sympathy will be felt for his wife and family. The cause of death is not yet known.   -Otago Daily Times, 25/9/1916.

SOLDIER’S DEATH

ON BOARD S.S. PATEENA

An inquiry was opened before the Coroner (Mr D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.) yesterday into the circumstances surlounding the sudden death of Sergeant John Wood, whose body was found on the deck of the Pateena shortly after 6 a.m. on Saturday, while on the passage from Lyttelton to Wellington. Dr Kington Fylfe said that the only cause he could assign for death was that the deceased collapsed from seasickness. There were several bottles found in a locked bag owned by the deceased, and the contents were poisonous. 

George Forsyth Gibb, living at Kelburn, stated that he had known the deceased, who had turned sixty years of age, all his life. He was a member of the Ambulance Corps, and he was a chiropodist. The deceased had been a total abstainer and nonsmoker all his life. The contents of some of the bottles would be used for his treatment of feet. 

Evidence was also given by Captain Vine, of the Defence Department, who produced papers to show that the late Sergeant Wood had been attached to the permanent staff of the New Zealand Medical Corps. Evidence was given by J. J. Johnson, night steward, as to his discovery of the body. The inquest was adjourned.  -NZ Times, 27/9/1916.

FUNERAL NOTICE. 

THE Friends of the late Sergeant John Wood, N.Z.M.C. (and. family), are respectfully invited to attend his Funeral, which will leave his late residence, 56 Glen road, Mornington, TO-MORROW (Thursday), 28th inst., at 2.30 p.m., for the Southern Cemetery. 

HUGH GOURLEY. Undertaker, Clarke and Maclaggan street. 

MASONIC FUNERAL NOTICE. 

THE Officers and Brethren of the Lodge of Otago, No. 7, are requested to attend the Funeral of our late Brother John Wood, P.M., which will leave his late residence, 56 Glen road (Caversharn Main South road car), at 2.50 o’clock TO-MORROW (Thursday). 28th inst., for the Southern Cemetery. Brethren of all Sister Lodges are cordially invited to attend. White gloves and tie. 

E. T. MOLLER, W. M. 

M.U.I.O.O.F. LOYAL HAND AND HEART LODGE. 

THE MEMBERS of the above Lodge and Order are are requested to attend the Funeral of the late P.P.G.M. Bro. John Wood, which will leave his late residence, 56 Glen road. Dunedin, TO-MORROW (Thursday), the 28th inst., at 2.30 p.m., for the Southern Cemetery. 

T. J. R. PEARCE, N. G.  -Evening Star, 27/9/1916.

THE LATE SERGEANT WOOD. 

Sergeant John Wood did a great deal forthe soldiers at Hanmer, and to shew tneir appreciation the patients and staff of Queen Mary Hospital forwarded money witn a request that suitable wreaths be purchased. This was done, and two wreaths — one of natural and one of artificial flowers — have been placed on Sergeant Woods's grave in the Southern Cemetery.  -Evening Star, 30/9/1916.

The son whom John was seeing off was Robert John Victor Wood, who left his job as a cashier for the Drainage Board for the Imperial Camel Corps.  Initially he joined the NZ Mounted Rifles, transferring to the 15th Company, ANZAC Camel Corps when it was formed in July, 1916.

Otago Witness, 9/5/1917.

The official history of the ANZAC Camel Corps, "With the Cameleers in Palestine," describes Robert's last action:

The Camel Brigade had come up from its position at Abasan el Kebir, crossed the Wadi, and had taken up a position at Dumbell Hill due south of Sheikh Abbas. Next morning it advanced on the right of the 54th Division, and the First Battalion I.C.C. (Australian) took part in the attack on the redoubt afterwards known as Tank Redoubt. During the advance a tank, used for the first time on this front, accompanied them, but when about a thousand yards from the redoubt it drew the fire of almost every Turkish gun within range, and the infantry and Cameliers in its neighbourhood suffered severely. The tank was hit several times by shells and finally burst into flames, but the remaining members of the attacking force rushed into the redoubt, and drove out its inmates at the point of the bayonet. They were now subjected to the artillery fire of the enemy, but they held the position for two hours, when hardly any were left unwounded, and the post once more fell into the hands of the Turks. The First Battalion lost very heavily in this attack, one company losing fifty percent of its personnel in a few minutes during the advance, but still the Australians pushed on, assisted by members of the 161st Infantry Brigade, about fifty all told reaching their objective, there to be further harassed by artillery fire and counter-attacks by the Turks, very few returning unhurt.

Farther to the right the Third Battalion I.C.C. (Australian and New Zealand Companies) also suffered heavily, the Fifteenth New Zealand Company losing its O.C., Captain Priest, who had succeeded Captain McCallum, who had been killed at Rafa. This battalion advanced across the road leading from Gaza to Beersheba, and took up a position on two prominent hillocks, but as a Turkish counter-attack forced the Fourth Light Horse back on the right of the Cameliers the latter had to retire to keep the front line intact. Months afterwards when this ground again fell into our hands the bodies of some members of the Camel Corps were found marking the extreme point to which the Battalion had advanced. In the afternoon the Turks counter-attacked in force along the front held by the Imperial Mounted Division, but this Division with two A.L.H. Brigades on its right, assisted by the N.Z. Mounted Brigade, finally managed to stop the Turkish advance.

Seeing that it was useless to attempt further attacks, General Murray decided to break off the engagement, and under cover of darkness most of the troops recrossed the Wadi in safety, the Turks evidently being too exhausted to follow in pursuit.

Deir el Belah Military Cemetery.  Photo from the Online Cenotaph.

Robert Wood was wounded in this action, the concise note "GSW (gunshot wound) chest, stomach, back" covering a world of pain for him.  He died the next day.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.