Mexborough & Swinton Times – Saturday 27 July 1940
Airman Killed
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Wood, 61, Daylands Avenue, received a telegram from the Air Ministry yesterday informing them that their elder son, Eric. a sergt. observer in the R.A.F., has been killed.
Sergt. Wood, who was 20 a fortnight ago, had been In the Air Force nine months and received his sergeant’s stripes at the early age of 19.
He was a native of Conisborough and is the first Conisborough airman to be killed in the war. Educated at Morley Place School, he secured a scholarship to Mexborough Secondary School, where he matriculated.
He entered the employment of Messrs. Kilner Bros., Ltd., but later became a clerk at Messrs. Steel, Peech and Tozer’s, Rotherham.
At his R.A.F. station he finished fifth out of 60 in his ‘educational course, was second out of 20 in his gunnery and bombing course, and first out of 20 in his low bombing course.
Mrs. Wood told the Times yesterday that they had been expecting their son home on leave in the very near future.
From C.W.G.C.:
SERGEANT ERIC PURDY WOOD
Service Number: 755876
Regiment & Unit: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Date of Death: Died 24 July 1940
Age 20 years old
Buried or commemorated at CONISBROUGH CEMETERY. Sec. I. Grave 53.
Additional Info: Son of Fred and Rose Wood, of Conisbrough.
Personal Inscription: AND SO, DEAR SON YOU ARE ACROSS THE BORDER BEYOND THE ACHE AND FEAR OF THIS WORLD