
Ernest Wood

While the Great War may have taken place in Europe, it changed and claimed the lives of countless people far beyond this single continent. Ernest William Wood, for example, was an Australian soldier who fought in Passchendaele, Flanders Fields during WWI.


When Ernest was once again fit to work, he took on a job as a clerk in the Commonwealth Department of Light Houses and Shipping, returning to the military one last time as an air raid warden during the Second World War. In 1923, Ernest got married and went on to raise six children, four of which are still alive today. He died in Brisbane in 1963.
Although Ernest was fortunate enough to survive the Great War, the time he spent in Flanders Fields changed his life forever. Even today, the impact of these four historic years can still be felt, and for those of us interested in experiencing history firsthand there are numerous places to visit. To name but a few:
The Memorial Museum in Passchendaele, which lies just a stone’s throw away from where Ernest Wood was wounded in 1917, offers visitors a good idea of what life was like in the trenches via a collection of pictures, films, artefacts and dioramas.
The Talbot House can be found in Poperinge, which is another Belgian town where Ernest Wood was stationed. This museum used to be a clubhouse where soldiers of all ranks came for entertainment. In addition to the exhibitions, visitors also get to enjoy concert parties similar to those that took place during the war.
Story created on February 5, 2014