Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 4587    Session 16 (9:30am Friday 3rd August)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $6,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $5,500

GROUP OF FOUR TO DOW: Distinguished Conduct Medal, (GVR type 1); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 2232 Sgt: J.R.Wood. 7/Coy Aust: M.G.C. on first medal, 2232 Pte J.R.Wood. 9/Bn. A.I.F. on second medal, Lieut. J.R.Wood. A.I.F. on last two medals. All medals impressed. Swing mounted, extremely fine.

Together with WWI Memorial Plaque named to John Reginald Wood and original cardboard envelope; Memorial scroll named to Lieut. John Reginald Wood, D.C.M. 2nd. M.G.Bn. A.I.F.; original letter to mother dated 13 March 1918 informing of award; large certificate In Everlasting Memory of 'and with inserted details of Lt John Reginald Wood KIA', at Daours British Military Cemetery and photo of Thiepval Memorial France and other memorials, the latter three separately conserved in individual packs, free of adhesives and acid free (Artlab Australia approved);a swing mounted matching set of full-size replica medals.

DCM: LG 6/2/1918, p1752; CAG 27/6/1918, p1398, to Sgt J.R.Wood, 7 Aust MG Coy - for action at Westhoek Ridge near Ypres, Belgium 20Sep1917.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his officer was killed during an attack, he at once took charge of his section, and handled his guns very skilfully, rendering valuable service to the infantry. Though wounded, he would not leave his post for three days. He set a fine example of courage and determination.

John Reginald Wood, telegraph lineman, age 22, born at Beeston, Leeds, Yorkshire, England; the Wood family emigrated from Leeds and settled at a property they named 'Roselea' at Chum Rd, Healesville, Victoria. It appears the parents did not wish their sons to volunteer for service, so John and brother Robert travelled to Brisbane and together enlisted and were allotted consecutive service numbers; Enl.29Mar1915 at Brisbane, Qld; Emb.12Jun1915; TOS 9Bn at Gallipoli 04Aug1915; TOS 3MG Coy 13Mar1916; to hospital with fractured right leg, accidental 14Apr1916; proceeded to France 01Dec1916; TOS 7 MG Coy 07Jan1917; to Sgt 06Feb1917; reduced to ranks 11May1917 for negligently allowing ball ammunition to be used while acting as Machine Gun Instructor; to Sgt 23Jul1917; to 2/Lieut 01Oct1917; to Lieut 01Feb1918; WIA 11Jun1918 GSW leg, severe; rejoined unit 07Aug1918; WIA 18Aug1918 SW face, hand and abdomen, France; DOW 20Aug1918.

An official report by his CO Lt-Col H.W.Ralston stated, 'Lieut J.R.Woods was wounded on the night of 18/19th August 1918, whilst leading two Vickers guns in a minor operation east of Villers-Bretonneux. At the moment of being wounded he was firing the gun when an enemy trench mortar bomb exploded near him wounding him in the face, hand and abdomen. He was taken to a C.C.S. at Daours where he died on 20.8.18. He was buried in the Daours Military Cemetery and a cross containing name and Unit erected at the head of the grave.'

Lt-Col Ralston also wrote a personal letter to the family as follows,
'France 6/9/18. You will have heard by this time from official sources, but I thought you would like to hear the gallant conduct which led to his getting the wounds of which he died two days later. He was in charge of two guns, which went forward with the Infantry. He was engaging enemy machine guns at point blank range, when a bomb thrown by the enemy, who had crept down in an old trench, landed on his gun. He picked it up and tried to throw it clear, but it burst just as it left his hand, destroying his gun and wounding him in a number of places. He got back to the casualty clearing at Vecquemont, near Corbie, and was operated on, and we thought he was doing well, but he suddenly collapsed and died on 20/8/2018. He is buried in the cemetery attached to the C.C.S. I know that nothing I can say will ease the pain of your loss, but his brother officers join with me in conveying our sympathy with you in the loss of a gallant comrade, who died that Australia might never see her towns and villages in the state of those around which we are now fighting. I am yours sincerely, H. W. Ralston Lieut.- Colonel.'

The action in which Lt Wood was mortally wounded is also described in Official History of Australia in the War in France 1918, vol 6 by C.E.W Bean, page 721, 'Lieuts Fulton and Evans were wounded and Sergt Ellis killed as he bombed. Lieut Wood, following with a machine gun, rushed it to the bank amid the bombs and opened fire; but a bomb which he caught and tried to return burst in his face, mortally wounding him.'

With copy of Service File of over 130 pages.