Second Lieutenant Basil Vaughan Wood who died in the Battle of the Somme was a pupil at Oakham School between 1900 and 1906. His parents were Edward and Ethel Vaughan Wood of Torr House, Yealmpton, Devon. Basil was in the 6th Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment), 37th Brigade, which was ordered to renew the attack on Ovillers, a strongly fortified village in the centre of the German line, during the early hours of 3 July. Basil's battalion made up the left wing of the attack which began before dawn with a creeping artillery barrage designed to protect them. The leading waves of the 6/Queen's managed to reach the frontline German trenches although many of them had been cut down by machine gun fire. But the attack began to peter out against fierce German resistance and in the end no permanent gains were made. Basil, and Harry Warboys from Belmesthorpe, were among the casualities and neither has a known grave. Today Basil is remembered on Pier 11C of the Thiepval Memorial and also in Oakham School Chapel.

See where all our Rutland soldiers died during the Battle of the Somme on our interactive map.