Private John Wood

Private John William Wood, 6th ( Service ) Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment. He died on Active Service in Mesopotamia, aged 36, on the 17th July 1917. He had been born in Selkirk in 1881 and was the son of Philip and Janet Wood of Victoria Crescent, Selkirk. Before enlisting he had been a woodworking machinist living in Barnsley, Yorkshire. He originally enlisted in the 9th Battalion, Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and went to France where he fractured his foot. After 11 months in hospital he was posted to the 6th South Lancs. in Mesopotamia in April 1917. Here he suffered heat stroke and died from heart failure. He is buried in Baghdad ( North Gate ) War Cemetery, Iraq.