Sergeant Alfred Wood was serving as an Air Gunner on board Stirling Mk. III LJ455 coded H4-C when it took off from Chedburgh, Suffolk for a night cross country training exercise on January 20, 1944. They left Chedburgh on a route via Lands End, Dulverton, Reading and Goole before planning to return to base. Upon reaching Chedburgh, the crew acknowledged their landing instructions. They lost height in a diving turn and after hitting trees, crashed and caught fire at Hargrave Hall, a few miles NW of Chedburgh at 2326hrs. It is believed that the pupil pilot had inadvertently entered the diving turn, momentarily permitting himself to be distracted from his instruments by the airfield lighting. Flight Sergeant Bartington and Sergeant Spibey were injured in the crash and were to die a few days later all others were killed instantly.

The crew consisted of:

 Sergeant Hallam is buried in Louth Cemetery, Sergeant Teague in Erdington (St.Barnabus) Cemetery, Sergeant Wood in Binegar Cemetery and Sergeant Tempan in Halstead Cemetery. P/O Johnson and other crew members rest in Cambridge Cemetery.

Group photo

Unidentified class photo

Alfred Wood's grave.

Grave inscription.

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Group photo

 

 Sergeant Alfred John Wood RAFVR was the son of Harold and Mabel Wood  of Gurney Slade and husband of Vera of Shepton Mallett, Somerset. He was the father  of Graham, who was two years old when his father was killed. Sergeant Wood and his wife rented premises at Weston Super Mare when he was training at RAF Locking and when on leave stayed with relations at Wellsand Shepton Mallett. Sergeant Wood worked at the Mendip Golf Club prior to enlisting in the RAFVR.