Our colleague Andrew Behan has kindly researched this man: Gunner Clement Allan Wood was born on 1 May 1914 in Balham, a son of Thomas William Murley Wood and Adelaide Emma Wood née Ellis. His father was a Manager of a Wine Vault. On 3 June 1914 he was baptised at Christ Church, Clapham and the family resided at 9 Rowfant Road, Balham. He joined the Territorial Army and was attached to 268 Battery, 67th (East Surrey) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
He died, aged 26 years, on 13 August 1940 on war service and his his death is registered in Hollingbourne, Kent. He is buried in Plot C.C.1. Grave 71 in Maidstone Cemetery, Kent. It is probable that he was one of the 67 personnel who were killed at nearby RAF Detling on 'Adler Tag' (Eagle Day) that was the first day of 'Unternehmen Adlerangriff' (Operation Eagle Attack), which was the codename of a military operation by Germany's Luftwaffe to destroy the Royal Air Force. Later that year his younger sister, Violet Marguerite Wood married Flying Officer (Flying Instructor) Stuart Trevor Hollick who is also recorded on the St Mary and St John the Divine plaque, Balham High Road. Administration of estate was granted to his father and his effects totalled £293-16s-1d.
Andrew adds: An image of his headstone can be found on Find a Grave and clearly shows his rank as 'Driver'. However, when you examine the typewritten record of the headstones held by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Graves Registration Report Form you can see that something has been erased on his rank and 'Gunner' has been over-typed. All the remaining CWGC records show him as a 'Gunner'.
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