John Wood was born in Burnley, Lancashire on 28 January 1891
John's father, also called John Wood, had moved from Shipley, Yorkshire looking for work in Burnley, first in the cotton mills, then in the pits. John's mother Mary Hanna worked in a cotton mill.
At the time of his birth John had an older brother Harry, born before his parents were married, and a sister who had died in infancy at one month in 1889. John’s parents went on to have a further six children. According to the 1901 Census they lived at 11 Barden Lane, Burnley which is sometimes written as 'Byerden lane'.
Like other members of his family John went on to work in one of the Burnley cotton mills.
On 5 July 1913, now 22, John married 21 year old Jane Haworth, the daughter of a chimney-sweep at St.James Parish Church, Bathesda St, Burnley. Both John and Jane worked in a cotton mill. It would appear that at first the young couple continued to live at 11 Barden Lane, John's family home,
After the outbreak of war John continued to work. To avoid conscription, or as part of the Derby Scheme, in December 1915, John enlisted (in Burnley) and joined the Lancashire Fusiliers.
After training John arrived on the western front in 1916 in time to take part in the later stages of the Battle of the Somme. Later the same year, in September 1916, his wife Jane had a son.
In 1917 John was invalided home due to trench foot he developed while serving in Arras. Once home he and would have got to see his baby son. On recovery he returned to the front, by now in Flanders, where he fought in the Third Battle of Ypres.
John was killed in action by shell fire during the relief of his battalion in the Poelcapelle-Staden Railway sector, Ypres Salient 9 November 1917.
His body was never recovered so he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing, Zonnebeke, Belgium.
John’s brothers Harry and Richard also served during the Great War: Pte Harry Simpson 34897 Lancashire Fusiliers, and Pte Richard Wood 203266 East Lancashire 1/5. The brothers survived the war, although one of them was injured.
34024 Pte. John Wood, 10th Bn. Lancashire Fusiliers
Killed in action 9 November 1917
John’s wife Jane remained a widow. She died in March 1936 and was buried in her sister Ethelene Howorth's grave, who had died in 1918.
John's father died in 1936. His son John, who had served and died in the Great War, is recognised on his gravestone.
Burnley gravestone to Pte John Wood's father provided by Scott Wood.
Original research by David O'Mara with additional research gratefully added by John Wood's great-grandson Scott Wood.
Sources: UK Soldiers Died in the Great War, The Western Front Association Pension Ledgers and Cards on Fold3 by Ancestry. Lancashire, England Church of England banns and marriages. 1911 England Census for John Wood. UK Service British Army Records, Burnley Express 5th and 11 th December 1917.