Joseph Wood

War Service

He enlisted at Leeds in November 1914, probably with his elder brother John Richard, into the 6th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers.
He was wounded at the Battle of Loos in September 1915 and returned to the front in January 1916.
There are no service records surviving and so the date of Joseph’s transfer from the 6th to the 2nd Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers is not known but he is listed as 2nd Battalion when he died. This Battalion was part of the 5th Division and had spent the Spring of 1916 in the Arras area. When the Somme Offensive began they were transferred and took part in the later Battles.
From 3rd -6th September 1916 the Battle of Guillemont was fought. It could be this is when he was wounded. He died of his wounds on 8th September 1916.
Joseph is buried in Corbie Communal Cemetery Extension. Corbie is some miles behind the lines and was the site of Casualty Clearing Stations. Joseph was most probably brought here from battle. His parents received a letter from the chaplain at the hospital telling them he was seriously wounded but getting every care from the doctors and nurse. Sometime after this they received official news of his death.
Joseph was the first of the brothers to die and the local paper records in the September 1917 Roll of Honour messages from parents, brothers and sisters and his fiancée Ada and family friends. These were repeated in 1918.

Family Life

Joseph Wood was born in 1893 in Knottingley, the sixth child and third son born to William and Emma Wood (nee Askam). He had three elder sisters and all the four sons served in the Great War, only William the eldest survived.
William’s family came from Knottingley and he was a Seaman and Boatman. Emma was born in Mexborough and her family worked in the Pottery Industry, as did Emma. The family lived in Aire Street and Stafford Yard.
Joseph was employed as a gatherer in the Glassworks.

Joseph Wood

Joseph Wood's grave