Born in December 1892 in Hampstead, London, Robert Basil Wood was educated at Uppingham School in Rutland between September 1906 and April 1911.

On leaving school, Basil decided that he did not want to follow the family tradition and become a solicitor. Instead, he joined the engineering firm, Sandycroft Foundry and Engine Works on the River Dee, near Chester. The foundry was a manufacturer of specialist mining and electrical machinery.

When war was declared, Basil enlisted as a Private in the 17th King’s (Liverpool Regiment) which was also known as the 1st Liverpool Pals Battalion. He then transferred to the 5th Battalion, Border Regiment and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion, Border Regiment in March 1915.

On 6th October 1915, 2nd Lieutenant R B Wood joined the battalion at Sulva Bay in Gallipoli. They remained there until December of the same year, spending Christmas on the Greek Island of Lemnos. Robert, however, had been invalided back to England and was not to rejoin them.

Upon his recovery, he was posted to his uncle, Lt Colonel Lewis Ironside Wood’s old battalion, the 2nd Battalion Border Regiment, joining them on 21st July 1916 while in billets at Breilly on the Somme. Robert and his battalion remained on the Somme until 18th September, when they were ordered north to Nieppe in Belgium. The following day, Robert was in trenches near Essex Central Farm, where he remained until his battalion was relieved by the 8th Devonshire Regiment on 25th September.

Although in billets in Pont de Nieppe, the battalion received orders from headquarters to prepare for a raid on enemy trenches. Robert Wood was selected as one of the leaders for the raiding party; the ground was patrolled continually at night in preparation. The raid was to start at 19:30 on 12th October. The 2nd Border Regiment war diary describes the events: 

 

“At 6:58 pm the raiding party (consisting of 2nd Lieut S B Bendle, 2nd Lieut R B Wood (OC Assault) Lieut R G Hennessy (OC Enterprise) and 35 other ranks was assembled at their rendezvous.

When the barrage commenced, 2nd Lieut R B Wood led the way to the triangular trench in front of the attack. Unfortunately, No 1 and No 2 parties following in rear of him came under heavy machine gun fire from the right losing both leaders (save for a few isolated cases) took no further part in the raid. 2nd Lieut R B Wood’s party rushed on and finding the wire cut satisfactorily entered the German trench at the point of the attack. 2nd Lieut Wood assumed command of the Right party and himself bombed down the German trench accounting for two Germans who were seen to fall. This Officer went back to find the remainder of the raiders and during the journey was wounded, dying shortly afterwards. The 10 minutes allotted (to the raid) having elapsed his party retired.”

Robert Basil Wood’s body was recovered and buried in Tancrez Farm Cemetery in Belgium.

On his gravestone, his parents requested the inscription:

"In Proud and Loving Memory of Our Dearly Loved Son Basil.”

He is also remembered on the Melton and East Bergholt War Memorials in Suffolk.

For his war service, Robert Basil Wood received the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals.