Norman Mackenzie WOOD

Norman Wood was born on 14 May 1885 in Clifton Hill, Victoria. His parents were Edward and Sarah Maria (née Haines) Wood. He attended Scotch from 1899 to 1900.

Norman was a seaman before he enlisted on 29 January 1915 in the United Kingdom. He served in the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment, British Army with the rank of Lance Corporal. His Regimental Number was 18350 (British Army).

Norman died on 30 March 1919 at Randwick, New South Wales. He was 33 years of age.

Service record

Norman, usually known as Harry, Wood enlisted in England and was a member of the 2nd Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was discharged on 8 January 1917 due to wounds. He received a Silver War Badge, issued to those servicemen discharged for honourable reasons such as wounds.

He died at No. 4 Australian General Hospital, Randwick in Sydney. The official cause was hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body). His death certificate is said to refer to ‘syphilitic hemiplegia’. A notice under ‘Died on Service’ in The Argus in April 1919 said he died as a ‘result of wounds’ (see below).

Norman Wood is buried in the Church of England Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, New South Wales.

Photographs and Documents:

From The Argus, 12 April 1919.

Sources:

1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour
2. ‘Cpl. Norman (Henry/Harry) Wood, 2nd Berkshire Regt., d 20/3/1919’, Great War Forum, http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=195833
3. ‘Family Notices’, The Argus, 12 April 1919
4. Mishura Scotch Database and Paul Mishura’s extensive correspondence on this story. The school’s Archivist, Paul Mishura, identified Harry Wood as a Scotch War death in 2011. His name was added to the Memorial Hall Honour Roll in 2015.
5. National Archives of Australia – MT1487/1, Wood N