David James Wood was born in
Corsham,
Wiltshire, and educated at
Monkton Combe School. He was commissioned to the
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and joined the 2nd (airlanding) Battalion (the 52nd) in 1942. The battalion formed part of
6th Airlanding Brigade,
6th Airborne Division in 1943.
Pegasus Bridge Wood was a D Company platoon commander in the coup de main operation on D Day led by
Major John Howard. The objective was to seize Benouville Bridge, now known as
Pegasus Bridge, over the
Caen canal and Ranville Bridge, now known as
Horsa Bridge, over the
River Orne. The original plan was for Wood to lead the first platoon across the bridge at Benouville; however, shortly before D Day, Howard changed the order of landing and Lieutenant
Den Brotheridge was selected to lead the first platoon across Pegasus Bridge. On D Day, Wood and his No 24 platoon were in the second glider to land at Pegasus Bridge, touching down at 00.17 hours, one minute after the first glider. Wood's platoon's objective was to clear trenches, machine-gun nests and the anti-tank gun pit along the east bank of Pegasus Bridge. By 00.26 hours on D Day both bridges had been secured. Along with his '
Batman' Pvt
Albert Chatfield he was shot in the leg by a burst from a
Machine Pistol whilst leading his platoon. He was evacuated to a divisional aid post in
Ranville and eventually back to England. The capture of the bridges was portrayed in the film
The Longest Day (1962). ==Post World War II==