The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private W Wood

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Private William WOOD, G/15969, 2nd Battalion  Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died of dysentry, Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force, 14th April 1918.

Born Barking, Essex.

16th September 1912, Rainham, Essex, married Edith Bond.

Children - Ivy Elizabeth Bond, born 10th July 1908, Romford; Charles William Wood, born 20th February 1913, Hornchurch; Caroline Edith Wood, born 30th January 1915, Hornchurch; William Stanley, Wood, born 4th October 1916, Hornchurch.

Enlisted Barking, Essex, age 34, height 5ft 7 inches, weight 134lbs. Formerly labourer.  Resided 6 Cowper Road, Rainham, Essex.

20th November 1915, enlisted; 21st November 1915, to Army Reserve; 6th June 1916, mobilized; 3rd July 1917, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 3rd October 1916, embarked; 17th October 1916, joined 6th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment, In the Field; 24th March 1917, In the Field, drunk in the public highway at 2.30pm, 14 days Field Punishment No.2.; 3rd  May 1917, wounded, gun shot wound, head; 4th May 1917, Etaples, 1 Canadian General Hospital, gun shot wound, head; 6th May 1917, to England, Hospital Ship, Princess Elizabeth; 8th May 1917, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 8th May 1917 to 21st May 1917, 2nd Northern General Hospital, gun shot wound, head; 21st May 1917 to 2nd July 1917, Swillington AMD, gun shot wound, head, the 10 days furlough; 12th July 1917, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 15th August 1917, posted 2nd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 16th August 1917, Devonport, embarked HT Shropshire; 21st September 1917 Burban, disembarked; 2nd October 1917, Burban, re-embarked HT Marathon; 18th October 1917, Busra, disembarked ex HT Ekma; 15th November 1917, joined Battalion, In the Field; 15th November 1917, Sadiyeh, 19 CFA, diarrhoea; 27th November 1917, Baghdad, Convalescent Depot; 2nd December 1917, Baghdad, 16 Casualty Clearing Station, Dysentery; 24th December 1917, 32 British General Hospital, admitted on transfer Amara; 21st January 1918, dangerously ill; 1st March 1918, removed from dangerously ill to out of danger; 16th March 1918, dangerously ill.

16th April 1918, History of Illness - Transferred from 133 B.S.H. Admitted 32nd British General Hospital 24.12.17. Diarrhoea only on admission and general condition good. Soon after admission developed a very acute dysentery  - amoe bic in type. Response to treatment was very slow - gnetin both hypodermically and bis buretin iodide being of little or no benefit. Patient was frequently seen by the consulting Physician. Pulo Ipicac and Tannic Acid and bowel wash outs were unavailing but rather increased the severity of the symptoms. Complicated by signs of failing heart on 13-4-18, ilevstomy and appendicostomy was performed by the consulting surgeon but the patient succumbed 24 hrs afterwards.

Post Mortem. Heart enlarged - fatty degeneration no valvular lesion. Lungs normal liver shewed two patches od hepatitis on diaphragmatic surface of right lore. Kidneys normal spleen very small and wrinkled - canoptic. Large and extensive ulceration of the whole of the cascum solon and rectum very little vivens membrane left. Ulcers in all stages Wall of gut much thickened, Small intestine normal - ulceration not extending through the leccaecal valve.

THE DISEASE WAS CONTRACTED ON AND WAS DUE TO ACTIVE SERVICE

21st October 1918, awarded pension of 33/9 a week to widow & four children.

Buried  at Amara War Cemetery, XII. E. 11., Iraq.

NOTE from CWGC -  In 1933, all of the headstones were removed from this cemetery when it was discovered that salts in the soil were causing them to deteriorate. Instead a screen wall was erected with the names of those buried in the cemetery engraved upon it.