Henry William Carmichael Wood

The only son of Eva Emily and Henry Alfred Wood, and their youngest child, was Henry William Carmichael (Harry) Wood, born in Eltham on 19 August 1917. After joining the RAF in England, he then became an Able Seaman in the Merchant Navy during WW2 and was a crew member of the 5759 ton British cargo steamer Empire Ocelot that was torpedoed and sunk without warning by the German U boat U-32 on 28 September 1940 in the Atlantic ocean. Two seamen were killed but the remaining 33 crew members, including Harry, were saved by the destroyer HMS Havelock after 5 hours in life-boats. Safely back in England, Harry gave a detailed account of this incident in a letter to his parents back in New Zealand, describing the aftermath of the attack, with the U-boat surfacing and circling the life-boats with only its periscope showing and the foredeck and bridge of the Empire Ocelot "standing perpendicular to the water" before the ship "slipped quietly under". While on shore leave in England at some stage, Harry visited the former Mabel Cox, the niece of Sarah Ann Cox, in Bristol and a photo taken of him during this visit was one of the last Henry Alfred Wood had of his son. Sadly, Harry was subsequently lost at sea on 17 August 1943 while a crew-member aboard MV Empire Stanley, a British cargo vessel of 6942 tons. It was en route from Durban to Aden and Beirut, carrying a cargo of 8890 tons of coal, when it was torpedoed by German submarine U-197 and sunk south of Madagascar; 25 persons were lost from a total crew of 54. Harry Wood is listed on Panel 45 of the Tower Hill Memorial, London, that commemorates men and women of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who died in both world wars and who have no known grave. It stands on the south side of Trinity Square, London, close to The Tower of London. Harry is also commemorated on the headstone for his parents' grave in Eltham Cemetery, New Zealand. Source: Bob Anderson http://www.bobanderson.co.uk/mccauleyfull/?rq=sarah%20ann%20ford