Family of Dudley Pierre WOOD and Dorothy BONE

Husband:	Dudley Pierre WOOD (1906-1968)
Wife:	Dorothy BONE (1908-1999)
Children:	Diana WOOD (1938-1992)
Marriage	17 May 1936	Kensington, London

Husband: Dudley Pierre WOOD

Wife: Dorothy BONE

Child 2: Diana WOOD

Note on Husband: Dudley Pierre WOOD

Dudley joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 16 on 4th February 1922, as an apprentice. He served his apprenticeship at the No 1 School of Technical Training at RAF Halton from 4 Feb 1922 to 17 Aug 1925.. Soon after joining he was admitted to Princess Mary Hospital Halton on the 25th February. He was discharged on the 22nd March before being readmitted on the 16th May for 3 days. There is no record of why he was admitted to hospital. He joined No 2 Sqdn in September 1925 after completion of his apprenticeship as an Aero Engine Fitter. No 2 Sqdn flying Bristol F2Bs, was posted to Shanghai to reinforce RAF China Command on the 30th May 1927 but following the easing of tension Royal Air Force China Command was disbanded and the squadron departed for the UK in August of the same year. Dudley's service record indicates that he embarked for China on the 20th April 1927 and arrived in Shanghai on the 31st May. He then embarked at Shanghai for the retuirn trip on the 6th September 1927 on the SS Novara with 16 other members of the squadron arriving back in the UK on the 26th October. He remained with the squadron until he was posted to H.A.D Henlow on the 13th March 1929. He completed his service on the 3rd February 1934. However he rejoined the service on 14th June 1935. During his time away he was employed as a Male Nurse at St Andrews Hospital, Northampton. St Andrews was and maybe still is a private psychiatric hospital and I believe his duties were mainly to escort patients on outings and also to play in the cricket team which was maintained at the Hospital. He played cricket and hockey throughout his career in the RAF representing his unit and the Service. I have always understood that had he not been "forced " to join the RAF he would have become a full time professional cricketer but was frustrated by family circumstances.

On his return to the service he was posted to MAEE (Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment) Felixstowe (14 June 1935) where he worked on the flying boat squadron.Whilst there Sir Frank Whittle was also posted there to test float planes. This was at the time that Whittle met up with Rolf Dudley-Williams and they worked on the development of the first jet engine.On 14th October 1939 he was posted to MAEE Helensburgh and then on 10th November 1939 he was posted to RAF Hednesford, Instrument Section. He then served the remainder of his service until his discharge on 13th June 1950 at either No2 S of TT at RAF Cosford or No1 S of TT at RAF Halton. On his retirement after some 28 years of service he received a pension of One Pound Twelve Shillings and Sevenpence Halfpenney per week. In civilian life he worked as a Labour Manager (human resources as we now know it) first at NGTE Pyestock Hampshire and then with AWRE at Foulness and Aldermaston until his medical retirement and death in 1968.

Note on Wife: Dorothy BONE

Following death of her husband Dudley she sold their house 17 Heath Road, Pamber Heath, for £5800 and bought a flat - Flat 12, Camberley Towers, Camberley near her daughter Diana for £4130. She sold this in1971 for £6250 and bought 3 Temple Towers, Basingstoke for £5250.