THE history of a Thurlestone resident who served in the First World War has been uncovered by his grandson.

Alan Garner, who lives in Kingsbridge, has been researching the history of his grandfather, Acting Stoker Petty Officer William Ernest Wood, who served in the Royal Navy for 25 years before the start of the war, only to be killed in the first year.

William was born on May 31, 1877, in South Pool to Peter and Ann Wood, and lived in Thurlestone and Kingsbridge. He married Mary Emily Wood, nee Stone, while serving in the Navy as service number 288222. He is named on the South Pool war memorial.

William served on eight ships in his 25-year career, before retiring and being held as a reserve. When the First World War started, many reserves were called up and William was assigned to HMS Goliath.

HMS Goliath was a battleship built by the Navy and commissioned in 1900. During the war, she was involved in the blockade of the German ship SMS Königsberg in the Rufiji River. From March 1915, she was part of the Dardanelles Campaign, and remained in support of the landings at Gallipoli in April.

On May 13, 1915, less than a year after William joined the crew, a Turkish Gun Ship, Muavenet-i Milliye, torpedoed the Goliath while she was assisting survivors from the stricken and sinking HMS Maori.

She took two torpedoes, and she sank quickly, killing 500 of her 750-strong crew, William Wood was among them. He was 38.