Major Algernon George Newcombe Wood, DSO

Major Algernon George Newcombe WOOD DSO Haileybury Edmonstone 1893.2 - 1897

• Born May 19, 1879, in Warley, Essex
• only surviving son of Lieutenant Colonel George Wilding Wood, formerly of the 50th Regiment of Foot, and Anna Maria (née Morton) Wood of Nithsdale, Ingatestone, Essex.
• Educated at Haileybury School (1893-97) and
• Royal Military College, Sandhurst. On February 11, 1899,
• Gazetted 2nd lieutenant in The Essex Regiment and on March 11, 1900,
• Promoted to lieutenant; to captain in 1905. During the Boer War he served as a staff officer and with the Mounted Infantry during the Boer War (1899-1902). He was present in operations in -

• the Orange Free State at Paardeberg (February 17-26, 1900)
  
• Poplar Grove, Driefontein, Vet River (May 5 and 6, 1900)
  
• Zand River; operations in the Transvaal east of Pretoria from May to June 1900 to include the actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (June 11 and 12);
  
• operations in the Transvaal including the action at Belfast (August 26 and 27, 1900);
  
• operations in the Transvaal west of Pretoria to include the action at Frederickstad (October 17 to 25);
  
• in Cape Colony south of Orange River (1899-1900) to include the action at Colesberg (January 1 to 29, 1901);
  
• operations in the Transvaal and Cape Colony (November 30, 1900, to May 31, 1902) (Queen's medal.. with 6 clasps King's medal 2 clasps) RELIEF OF KIMBERLEY, PAARDEBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, JOHANNESBURG, DIAMOND HILL, and BELFAST).
  * Mentioned in Dispatches in 1914.

• Awarded the Distinguished Service Order for service at Gallipoli (L.G. October 15, 1915)
• Awarded the Serbian Order of the Eagle.

While leaning against the outside wall of his dugout at 11 a.m. on October 30, 1915, smoking his pipe and watching an airplane hovering over the line, he was mortally wounded by a Turkish sniper and died a few seconds later in the arms of his Sergeant Major, aged 36 years. His last words are reputed to have been, “I am finished, Sergeant Major.” He is buried in plot II, row A, grave 14 in Azmak Cemetery, Suvla. Name commemorated on the Ingatestone and Fryerning War Memorial, Essex. Major Wood’s citation for the Distinguished Service Order reads: For distinguished service in the field.

LOTFWW

WOOD, ALGERNON GEORGE NEWCOME

Rank: Major Date of Death: 30/10/1915 Age: 32 Regiment/Service: Essex Regiment 1st Bn. Awards: D S O Grave Reference: II. A. 14. Cemetery: AZMAK CEMETERY, SUVLA Additional Information: Son of Mrs. A. M. C. Wood, of "Nithsdale," Ingatestone, Essex. CWGC

Medal Index Cards

findmypast Transcription

• First name(s) Algernon George Newcome
• Last name Wood
• Year 1914-20
• Service number -
• Rank Captain And Adjutant,Major
• Second rank Major
• Regiment Essex Regiment
• Second corps Essex Regiment
• Service record Rank: Captain and Adjutant, Corps: Essex Regiment
• Second service record Rank: Major, Corps: Essex Regiment
• Image link http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=D5971451
• Country Great Britain
• Medal type British Army Medal Index Cards, 1914-1920
• Archive reference WO372/22

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• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: May 13 2017, 13:58:15 UTC