John Ironside Wood (known as Jack) was born on 1st February 1894 in Hampstead, London. He was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland.

Jack was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant into the 8th (Service) Battalion Border Regiment on the 2nd December 1914 and was with the battalion when they were posted to France on 29th May 1915. The regiment was to be based near Ploegsteert in the Ypres Salient. Between March 1916 and the end of June, Jack’s battalion began travelling south, alternating between training and periods on the front line. Eventually, they reached Forceville, ready for the start of the Battle of the Somme.

On 2nd July 1916, Jack and the 8th Border Regiment marched to Martinsaart Wood and took up positions in trenches to the south of Thiepval in readiness for an attack on Thiepval Ridge. At 06:00 the next day, the attack commenced. It was, however, to be a failure as although the 8th Borders achieved their objective, the battalions around them failed to reach theirs, resulting in withdrawal on the 4th July to Aveluy Woods. During the fighting, four officers were killed, ten wounded and four hundred and thirty OR (Other Ranks) reported as casualties. Jack Wood was one of the officers wounded. No further records have been found regarding Jack Wood’s war service.

After the war finished, Jack continued the family tradition and became a solicitor. He married Athene May De Grono Lyons on 24th February 1937 and he died in 1980 near Braintree, Essex. For his war service, Jack Ironside Wood received the 1915 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.