Canada. A 1918 Military Medal to Driver/Acting Bombardier Wood, 5th Brigade, Battle of the Canal du Nord KIA

Military Medal (91612 DVR: A. WOOD 5/BDE: CAN:F.A.); British War Medal (91612 A. BMBR. A. WOOD. C.F.A.); and Victory Medal (91612 A. BMBR. A. WOOD. C.F.A.). Naming is officially impressed. Un-mounted, dark patina and residue in the recessed areas from cleaning on the two silver medals, original ribbons, the MM with a bronze suspension ring sewn in place where the ends of the ribbon meet, near extremely fine. Each medal is contained in its original cardboard box of issue: the MM box labelled "1874 / 91612 / Dvr. A. Wood, / 5/Bde.Can.F.A.", the BWM and VM boxes labelled "3418 / 91612 / A. BOMB. A. WOOD, / C.F.A.", the boxes exhibiting wear and in their original cardboard shipping container, the latter with a kraft paper mailing wrapper, addressed to "Mrs. Thomas Wood, / Chedoke, P.O., / Ontario.", stamped with a large "R" within a circle (Registered Mail), postmarked August 12, 1920 at Ottawa, Ontario and marked "Registered", receiver marked August 20, 1920 at Hamilton, Ontario, with six cancelled stamps (two one cent stamps and four three cent stamps), the package having been opened at either end.

Footnote: Arthur Wood was born on January 29, 1894 in Barton Township, Wentworth County (near Hamilton) Ontario, the son of Mrs. Mary A. Wood. He signed his Attestation Paper (91612) with the 31st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, on August 7, 1915, in Hamilton, Ontario, at the age of 21, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Thomas Wood (AKA Mrs. Mary A. Wood), Chedoke Post Office in Hamilton, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married, that his religion was Presbyterian and that his trade was that of Farmer. Woodarrived in England aboard the S.S. Metagama on November 30, 1915 and after one month, was transferred as a Driver to the 7th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery on December 27, 1915. The following week, he was initially treated at Workhouse Military Hospital on January 3, 1916, before being transferred to 1st Northern General Hospital at Newcastle-on-Tyne on the 4th, where he was diagnosed with "V.D.G." (venereal disease, gonorrhea), and documented as having "Gonorrheal Warts". After six days' treatment at Newcastle, he was discharged from hospital on January 10th. Six days after being discharged from hospital, he arrived with the 7th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery for service in the French theatre, on January 16, 1916, at Le Havre, France. Driver Wood was admitted to No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance suffering from a case of "Diarrhea" on May 3, 1916, then transferred to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance the same day, where he was officially diagnosed with "Enteritis" (an inflammation of the intestine, especially the small intestine, usually accompanied by diarrhea) but made a quick recovery. He attended Signals School from December 27, 1916 to February 24, 1917. Wood was admitted to No. 2 Canadian Field Ambulance on January 9, 1917, with "Acute Laryngitis", then transferred to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance on the 12th, where he would be treated for the next week before being discharged from hospitalization on the 19th. He reported from base "gassed" on May 21, 1917, but by the following day, he "now reported sick to hospital, not gassed" and rejoined his unit on the 22nd. Wood was sentenced to 5 days' Field Punishment No. 1 on March 3, 1917, for being absent at parade, from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., on August 12, 1917 (five hours absent). Field Punishment No. 1 consisted of the convicted man being placed in fetters and handcuffs or similar restraints and attached to a fixed object, such as a gun wheel or a fence post, for up to two hours per day. During the early part of the First World War, the punishment was often applied with the arms stretched out and the legs tied together, giving rise to the nickname "crucifixion". Driver Wood was transferred from the 7th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery to the 5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, on March 20, 1917. He was awarded one Good Conduct Badge on August 7, 1917.

While in action, Wood was the victim of a gas shell attack. He was initially treated to No. 64 Casualty Clearing Station on October 29, 1917, then transferred and admitted to No.7 Canadian General Hospital at Etaples on October 30th, where he would be treated for the next five days. He was then transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples on November 4th, followed by another transfer to No. 5 Convalescent Depot at Cayeux on November 5th, where he would recuperate for the next month, before being discharged to the Base Depot at Etaples on December 3rd. He was at the Canadian Base Depot when he was classified for "TB" treatment by a Medical Board on December 10, 1917. This was followed one week later by his being classified "A" by the same Medical Board on the 17th. He left for the 5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery in the field on the 22nd, joining them on the 24th. In the late Summer of 1918, Wood was appointed Acting Bombardier on August 8, 1918. The War Diary of the 5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery documents the events on the outskirts of Cambrai, on the first day of the Battle of the Canal du Nord on September 27, 1918, at which Acting Bombardier Wood was present and in action. The barrage started at 5:20 a.m., with the hostile shelling in the artillery area very slight until about 7:00 a.m., when it picked up substantially. 91612 Acting Bombardier Arthur Wood, 5th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery was Killed in Action during the Battle of the Canal du Nord, on September 27, 1918, at the age of 24. He is buried in Sains-les-Marquion British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, Grave Reference: I. E. 21. Sains-les-Marquion is a village about twelve kilometres north-west of Cambrai and two kilometres south of the D939, Arras to Cambrai road, the cemetery lying at the junction of the D15 and D16 roads, about one and a half kilometres from the centre of the village. Wood is commemorated on page 525 of the First World War Book of Remembrance. Twenty-four days after his death, the announcement (without citation) of Driver Arthur Wood's awarding of the Military Medal for bravery appeared in the Fourth Supplement to the London Gazette 30962 of Friday, October 19, 1918, on Monday, October 21, 1918, page 12420, the events surrounding his citation likely happening before his promotion to Acting Bombardier on the previous August 8th. For his First World War service, Acting Bombardier Wood was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. His mother, Mrs. Mary A. Wood of Chedoke Post Office in Hamilton was forwarded his First War pair, along with his Military Medal, the trio being shipped from Ottawa, Ontario on August 12, 1920. In addition, she later received his Memorial Plaque and Scroll, along with a Memorial Cross.