Francis Henry Wood was born in Suffolk to parents that had married in Springfield. By the time he married in 1933 in Chelmsford he was living on the town's Boarded Barns Housing Estate and working as a grinder. He had a son the following year. During the war he served in the army and was captured in north Africa in the spring of 1941. He died in a prisoner of war hospital in May 1942. His home was in Ockelford Avenue.

Francis was born in Peasenhall, Suffolk in 1908, the son of blacksmith Ernest William Wood (1874-1959) and Amelia Wood (nee Cox) (1874-1962). His parents had married at All Saints’ Church in Springfield on 11th December 1899. At that time Francis’ father was aged 25, employed as a blacksmith and living in Peasenhall; while his mother was a year older and lived in Springfield.

Francis' siblings included Ernest John Wood (1900-1995), Edward Percy Wood (1902-1982), Violet Annie Wood (1904-2004), Mildred Daisy Wood (1906-1992), and Letitia Margaret Wood (1910-1928).

In 1911 the census recorded three year-old Francis living with his parents and five siblings in Peasenhall, near Saxmundham in Suffolk where his father was a blacksmith.

The family moved to Chelmsford by 1928 and that year Francis' 19 year-old sister, Letitia, died from tuberculosis. She had worked for four years at Crompton-Parkinson's as a shorthand typist.

Francis Henry WOOD, Gunner, 104 (The Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery

Died while a prisoner of war in Italy. Aged 34

On 11th November 1933 25 year-old Francis, then working as a grinder, married 21 year-old Dorothy Mabel Brazier at St. Peter's Church in Chelmsford. At the time his home was at 12 Warwick Square in Chelmsford, while his bride lived at 54 Eastern Crescent in Chelmsford. The couple had a son the following year.

During the Second World War Francis served as Gunner 6005950 in the 104 (The Essex Yeomanry) Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. He was captured in north Africa on 5th April 1941.

On 6th May 1942 he died in the hospital at his prisoner of war camp in Italy.  Today Francis lies in the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy (grave XII. E. 10).

At the time of his death Francis' parents were still living at 12 Warwick Square while his wife was resident at 83 Ockelford Avenue, Chelmsford.

Francis left an estate valued at £202 14s. 8d.

150112