Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Sergeant E. A. Wood, 11th Hussars, who was killed in action in North Africa on 7 August 1941

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (4125394 Tpr. E. A. Wood. R.A.C.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine (5) £140-£180

Eric Archibald Wood, a native of Bromborough, Cheshire, attested for the Royal Armoured Corps and served with the 11th Hussars in pre-War Palestine, and subsequently during the Second World War in North Africa. He was killed in action on 7 August 1941- the Regimental War Diary gives the following account:
‘At 09:10 hrs on 7 August 1941 our line was in someway penetrated by two hostile armoured cars in between 2nd Troop (commanded by Sergeant Wood) and 1st Troop (commanded by Lieutenant Petch). They were unobserved by the later and appeared to the former to be friendly Marmon Herringtons. By the time this supposition was found to be extremely improbable, the enemy Armoured Cars had approached the rear of 2nd Troop on the open flank having come straight down the Boundary Track. The enemy Armoured Cars then attacked at great speed assisted by the close co-operation of a C.R. 42 which pointed out our Troops’ position.
Our Troop was taken completely by surprise on an unexpected flank. The Troop Leader’s car and the Troop Corporal’s car were knocked out and caught alight. The enemy then made off west through the wire, taking Corporal Winterbottom and Troopers Crowther and Walburn with them as prisoners. 1st Troop, which took over the patrol, buried four bodies that night: Sergeant Wood and Troopers Coles, Manning, and Banbury.’

Wood is buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt.

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