WOOD, Thomas Reginald
Thomas Reginald Wood was born in 1882 in Fitzroy, son of Frederick Wood (b. Huddersfield) and Mary Peddie nee Bain (b. Collingwood). Motor Mechanic.
Permanent address: 168 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. Next of kin: father of same address
Previous military service: 1st Batt. Inf. Bds. - 4 years; 5th A.I.R. - 5 years; C.A. Signallers - 3 months; 6th Bn. A.C. Horse - 3 months; R.A.E. - serving.
Enlisted Perth, 1 October 1915. Aged 32; 5ft. 7ins.; complexion fresh, hair brown, eyes brown.
Embarked 24 Nov 1915 from Sydney per HMAT Ceramic. Transferred to 93rd Field Ambulance, Port Said as driver. Then to Alexandria to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Forces) 19 March 1916. Disembarked Marseilles 27 March 1916. Admitted to hospital with Urticaria (hives) 5 April 1916. Rejoined unit from hospital. Remustered as sapper. Transferred to 2nd Div. Sig. Coy 1 May 1916. In Armentieres suffered tonsilitis and Otitis Media (middle ear infection) as a result of gunfire 13 May 1916 to 8 June 1916. Proceeded to Signal Depot Advanced Base at Etaples. Taken on strength of 5th Div. Sig. Coy. 9 August 1916. Furlough to England. Ear problems continue. Declared unfit for active service but fit for home service. Discharged from hospital 8 February 1917. Sent to command depot, Perham Downs. AWL for one day 2-3 October 1917, pay docked 5 days. Then to Sutton Mandeville. Whilst there was charged with 'conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he called L/Cpl Lamont a Bloody Bastard". He forfeited 14 days' pay. Returned to Australia with chronic Otitis Media 21 April 1918, for discharge.
On returning to Australia he settled at Red Cliffs, near Mildura. He died at Caulfield Military Hospital on 3 June 1931 and was buried in the Melbourne General Cemetery.