Geoffrey Dayrell Wood was born on 17th August 1891 in Hampstead, London. He was educated at Eaton House, Aldeburgh, and then at Cheltenham College between September 1905 and July 1910. A keen sportsman, Geoffrey represented the college in cricket, football, and hockey. He then attended Exeter College in Oxford from October 1910 until 1912, where he played several times for the Oxford University Rugby Club. He played for the Oxford University Cricket team in a match against the MCC in which he took two wickets for thirty-two runs. Geoffrey also represented Suffolk three times in minor counties matches between 1910 and 1911.

While at Oxford, Geoffrey joined the OTC (Officer Training Corps) and, at the outbreak of the war in August 1914, volunteered to serve overseas. On 28th August 1914, he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into the 7th Suffolk Regiment and became a full Lieutenant on 8th March the following year.

The 7th Suffolks were sent to France on 30th May 1915, landing at Boulogne. In October 1915, Geoffrey and the battalion were fighting in the Battle of Loos and on the 12th, they had relieved the 1st Guards Brigade who were in trenches near the Hohenzollern Redoubt. At 14.00, an attack was launched on the redoubt which continued into the following day. On the 13th, the war diary for the 7th Suffolks described the day:

“D Company supported the Norfolk bombers in attacking the Sap at G11b8.9.(map coordinates) This attack was temporarily held up by German Bombers at their barrier which was eventually rushed by D Coy. Captain Henty was wounded, and Captain Sorley and Lieutenant Wood killed while leading the attack.”

Geoffrey’s body was buried where he fell. It was not recovered for burial once the war was over. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial and on the Melton and East Bergholt War Memorials in Suffolk.

For his war service Geoffrey received the 1914 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.