Personnel Index - Detail

Name
WOOD
First Names
John
Rank
Sgt
Service
RAAF
Service Number
A408548
Crew Position
Air Gunner
Posting In
Posted in 10/42 and out 7/43

 

Flew 31 operations as a mid upper and rear gunner.......two operations with 29OTU and twenty nine with 49Sqn.
Following his tour with 49Sqn he was promoted to Warrant Officer.



In September 1942 (with 29OTU) John flew with New Zealand pilot Sgt Gumbley to Düsseldorf and Bremen in Wellingtons DV914 & DV877.
Both raids were considered highly successful although 16OTU lost 5 out of 13 aircraft attacking Düsseldorf.

His first 49Sqn operation was to Genoa in November 1942.

The logbook of rear gunner, Sgt C W Morley can be downloaded from his page.
It records some "shaky does" including being upside down over the target.


Image courtesy of Peter Hyde

Sgt B A GumbleyP/O A CreamerSgt R HydeSgt J CampbellSgt R A G Turner, Sgt J Wood, Sgt C W Morley.

The last month of his tour was with another New Zealander, F/L Robert Munro and the final operation was to Spezia in June 1943 when returning from Operation Bellicose

John Wood did his initial training at the Gunnery School at Port Pirie in South Australia.



Photographed at Port Pirie..........Frank Green, Elliot Alderidge, Jack Powell and John Wood...the only one of the group to serve with 49Sqn......with CAC Wirraways and Battles (drogue tugs) in the background.

Following his war service John Wood returned to Australia.




Wearing his new rank of Warrant Officer.



The medals of W/O John Wood.

The logbook of Sgt Wood can be viewed, in a new window, by clicking this link (PDF 3.5mb)

Much of the above information is courtesy of Brendan Wood who adds the following details:

On discharge in Australia Dad came back to the wheat and sheep farm where he grew up near the small town of Minyip. He settled into farming and married in the early 50s.

In the following 13 years 9 children arrived, myself being number 7.
My father rarely mentioned his war years so we did not really have a good understanding of his time in UK.

He always had a deep affection for Britain.

In 1952, former crewmember, Reg Hyde, wrote to the Minyip postmaster trying to contact his old friend.

The letter is shown below.



Click for a larger view (in a new window).

My Dad died in 1978 aged 64. My mother died late last year (2015) aged 95.