Private Richard Henry Wood
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 2472
- Unit
- 51 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- France
- Date of death
- 15 August 1916
- Age
- 17
- Plaque number
- L33
- Co-located plaques
- L33A - PTE George Wood
- Dedicated by
- Family on 12 February 2022
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Richard Henry Wood was born at Preston via Donnybrook, Western Australia in December 1898 to parents Abraham and Georgina Wood (nee Bishop). He had three sisters and two brothers.
Richard’s grandfather William Wood was one of the early settlers in the Donnybrook area taking up land to farm.
Richard’s schooling was at Minninup Farm and Donnybrook State School which he attended with his brother George.
In June 1910, Richard’s father was severely injured while hauling timber piles at Seven Mile Siding, Preston Valley. The timber piles where being used in construction of the Busselton Jetty. His father was conveyed to the Bunbury hospital, but later died from his injuries.
In July 1915, Richard enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force at the age of sixteen years at Bunbury. He conducted his training at Blackboy Hill military camp attached to the newly formed 28 Battalion. In October 1915, he embarked for overseas service aboard HMAT Thermistocles from Fremantle. He was part of the Fifth reinforcements of 28 Battalion.
He arrived in Zeitoun, Egypt where he was posted to a training battalion. While in Egypt he was hospitalised with mumps. When he was discharged from hospital, he was transferred to 51 Battalion in March 1916 at Tel El Kabir.
In June 1916 he embarked from Alexandria, disembarking at Marseilles France joining his battalion in the field. In early August 1916, 51 Battalion reached the frontline near the village of Pozieres.
On the night of 15 August 1916, Richard was involved in an attack towards Mouquet Farm, a heavily defend position by the Germans. As the men of 51 Battalion advanced towards a trench system known as ‘Fabeck Graben’ they came under heavy machine gun and artillery fire. It was during this attack that Richard was believed to be killed, with his exact fate unknown.
Private Richard Henry Wood, service number 2474 of 51 Battalion, was killed in action at Mouquet Farm near Pozieres on 15 August 1916. He was seventeen years of age.
Richard has no known grave but is commemorated on the Villers Bretonneux Memorial France and is remembered with honour.
His plaque is placed alongside his brother Private George Wood of 28 Battalion, who was killed in action at Pozieres at eighteen years of age, eleven days before Richard.
Their mother Georgina published this poem in the West Australian newspaper on 8 August 1919, three years after the brothers’ deaths:
"Tis only a mother who knows the sorrow
Tis only a mother who knows the pain
Of losing a son she loved so dearly
But hopes in heaven to meet again."