Military History

Wood enlisted at Blackboy Hill with the artillery and proceeded to Victoria for further Artillery training.
Embarked Melbourne per ‘Medic’ for UK 20.5.1916.
Roll Rank Gunner.
Roll Unit 3rd Division, 8th Field Artillery Brigade, 32nd Battery.
Wood was admitted to hospital on the Troopship ‘Medic’ en route to England. He disembarked at Plymouth 18.7.1916 and was admitted to Devonport Hospital 9.7.1916. On recovery he marched in to Larkhill Training Camp from Hospital 5.8.1916. He proceeded overseas to France with 8th FAB 30.10.1916. Wood reverted to rank of Private at his own request 6.12.1917. He took leave to and Paris 30.1.1916.and returned to the position of Gunner 18.1.1917. He took England 17.12.1917, The 8th AFB fought at Messines in June 1917, Polygon Wood (September–October 1917), Broodseinde (4th October)and the Third Battle of Passchendaele (from October 1917), Villers-Bretonneux, Hamel, Amiens, St. Quentin (3rd Division) Wood was commended for his bravery at Brancourt and later awarded a Military Medal for his actions on 8.10.1918. Wood became sick and was transferred to hospital at Wimereux 26.12.1918 then to the 39th General Hospital at Havre 11.1.1919. He was invalided per ‘St. Patrick’ to England and admitted to hospital at Bulford 16.1.1919. Wood marched in to Sutton Veny 11.2.1919.
Embarked Portland UK for Australia per ‘Euripides’ 3.3.1919.
Returned/Disembarked 19.4.1919.
Discharged 3.6.1919.
Final Rank Gunner, 108th Howitzer Brigade., 3rd Brigade
Medical Condition NK
Awards and Medals Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Citation for Military Medal 4.5.1919.
‘Gunner Wood, on the 8th October , near Brancourt, was a member of the Brigade FOO‘s party and throughout this whole time he was acting in this capacity, he showed marked coolness and initiative. He repeatedly carried messages to the Lamp Station and to do this he had to pass through heavy, hostile shell fire. Despite this he never once failed to carry out the task assigned to him. His energy, perseverance, and his utter disregard for his own safety, were a fine example of devotion to duty.’
(AWM Honours & Awards)

Photo Gunner Harold Barrington. Photograph sourced and reproduced with permission of P. Sullivan
           HMAT 'Medic' 1914. Photographer Hood, Samuel J. Photograph source AWM H19319
           Artillery Training at Larkhill UK  December 1916. Photograph Donor Captain A.W. McMillan, photograph source AWM H13935
           Australian Soldiers travelling to Messines Ridge June 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph source AWM E00475
            St.Quentin 1918. Photograph donor K. Ince, photograph source AWM P0074.022

Information Source
AWM H19319. HMAT 'Medic' 1914. Photgrapher Samuel Hood. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM H13935. Artillery Training at Larkhill UK  December 1916. Photograph Donor Captain A.W. McMillan, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM E00475. Australian Soldiers travelling to Messines Ridge June 1917. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  P0074.022. St.Quentin 1918. Photograph donor K. Ince, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM 3rd Division
AWM Embarkation Roll Harold Barrington Wood.
AWM Honours and Awards Harold Barrington Wood.
Guildford Grammar School Honour Roll
NAA: B2455, Wood H B.
P. Sullivan.  H. B. Wood. Image and sourced and reproduced with permission of P. Sullivan

Carrolup, Katanning, WA.

Associated Images