George William Wood of Clifford, Ontario enlisted July 1915 at age 33. In letters home to his wife, Maudie, he said he was in the 75th Battalion band—the staff band and that they were playing every day and were not going into action.

“In fact, nothing could be further from the truth,” said Joanne Nicholls, Wood’s great-granddaughter. “Why did he mislead Maudie? I can think of a number of reasons. I wouldn’t want my family to worry.”

Wood wasn’t in a band. Instead, he was at the front lines at Somme, serving as a stretcher-bearer. On October 18. 1916, at Courcelette in pouring rain, Wood went out to retrieve a lieutenant and three other soldiers. He did not make it through the mission alive.

Wood’s name is on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial.

Do you have an ancestor who served in the Great War? Submit their story and it could be included on this Great War Album website.