Pte 58057 Horace Wood

• Age: 21
• From: Keighley, Yorks
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 9th June 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Horace Wood was born on the12th April 1896 the son of Parkinson Wood and his wife Lucy Alice (nee Heg).

The 1901 Census shows Horace living with his mother and father at 26 Keighley Road, Haworth. His father is a stone quarryman born in Bingley in 1874. His mother was born in Shelf, Yorkshire in 1875.

By 1911 the family have moved to 34 Barcroft Cross Roads, Keighley and 14 year old Horace is now a shoe makers apprentice. His parents are both in the household and Horace has a younger brother John Albert born in Haworth in 1902.

Horace enlisted in London, joining the Army Cyclist Corps as Private 16364 and following a transfer was serving in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment when was killed in action on 09th June 1917, aged 21. 

The 17th Battalion diary gives details of his loss:

SUPPORT TRENCHES PEPERINGHE - ABEELE AREA

8TH -9TH

Battalion in Front and Spport lines.(B & D Coys. in front line).

11.30 PM Relief commenced by 2nd Bn R.S.F. Battalion less one coy. marched to Vlamertinghe, and entrained for Poperinghe. Detrained at Poepringhe and marched to Billets in Area between Poepringhe and Abeele.

6.30 AM  Arrived in Billets. ("B" Company remained in Front Line attached to 2nd Bn Bedfordshire Regt).

Casualties 8/9-6-17 killed 4 O.R. Wounded 11 O.R. 

Horace Wood was one of the 4 O.R. killed in action.

His body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as his name is recorded on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Lucy Alice.

We currently have no further information on Horace Wood, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.