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George Wood was my great uncle. The following information was obtained from letters sent to his parents (published by the Whitby Gazette) by his brother who was stationed nearby and by one of his colleagues after he was killed:-
Letter from Leonard Wood
"George was killed last Friday ( October 20th ). He had been to see me in the afternoon, and went back to tea as he expected to go up the line at night. However, he was detailed to look after rations and later he and the Sergeant thought they would have a walk, and were coming in my direction when a Gotha dropped a bomb quite close to them. George was fatally hit and the Sergeant was wounded in the leg. I did not get to know until yesterday when I was going to see him. He was buried in a cemetery close to where we are.
We have one consolation, that he died doing his duty like all should do in the present crisis. I did not get to his funeral, as his mates did not know where to find me. I am seeing to a nice cross being put up."
Corporal E Heckling's letter to George's parents.
"He was killed instantly by a splinter from a bomb dropped by an aeroplane. I was not with him at the time but one of our Sergeants was. He told me that in the evening, just after tea, George said to him "Let us go and stretch our legs a bit", and they set off in the direction of your son Leonard's billets. They had not got far when the bomb dropped. George was hit in the head by a small piece. He was at once put into a passing motor-ambulance but nothing could be done for him. He suffered no pain. George was buried with military honours. I have lost my best pal. We were chums from 1914, and have been together ever since. He was a universal favourite with all the ambulance officers and men.
On his way back from leave he spent a short time with my people, who thought much of him. He was fearless in his duty, and his Military Medal represents only a fraction of his pluck"
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