Richard Shaw Wood was born in London, Ontario, Canada, in 1891. The middle of three children his parents were Bermudan Benjamin Wood and his Canadian wife, Mary. Benjamin was a farmer, but his son would seek out bigger and better things for himself.

On 12th November 1913, he married Alice Duggan. There is little specific information about her early life, but she had been born and raised in Toronto. They wend to to have a son, Richard Jr, the following year.

With war raging across Europe, Richard felt compelled to play his part. He gave up his job as a car salesman and, on 30th July 1917, he enlisted in the Canadian Royal Flying Corps. As an Air Mechanic 3rd Class, he was soon sent to Britain, but took a commission in the Royal Flying Corps in December of that year.

The now Second Lieutenant Wood was attached to No. 1 Training Squadron and was based in East Boldre, Hampshire. On 17th March 1918, after just a few months in the unit, he was flying a Sopwith Camel from the Hampshire airfield, when disaster struck. His aircraft nosedived and crashed to the ground. A subsequent inquest concluded that: ‘the smash was caused by the Pilot losing control of the machine… 2nd Lt R Shaw Wood was a steady [skilful] and reliable pilot. He had performed the manoeuvre… on previous occasions. The Court are of opinion that the Pilot [must have] fainted thus losing control.’

Richard Shaw Wood was 27 years of age when he died on 17th March 1918. He was laid to rest in the tranquil graveyard of St Paul’s Church, East Boldre, not far from the airfield that hat become his home.

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