Hils many friends will learn with very real regret of the death of Captain Richard Wood, ale" De, 31M, which occurred in Scolland on March 22. He will be mourned by those onthe staff of this Journal with whom he worked for many years, and who came to know him as a most capable journalist, @ very gallant man, and a true friend.
"Dick" Wood came to Shanghai in. 1007 to join the "Shanghai Mercury," having prior to that served as junior reporter on the staff of the "Dundee "Advertiser" a newspaper well-known for the quality of the men they train fon their staff. Having served with the "Shanghai Mercury" for three years, he joined the "North-China Dally' News" completing a trio of lever young reporters of which the other two, Smart and Pearce, have ong since passed awa; War In China Wood was destined to win distinetion in the Great War, but that was not his first experience of fighting. 'AS a correspondent for this Journal younger days he was a member of the Victoria Company, of the Shanghai Fire Department, and after his return from the war, served in the Volunteers, in which he ultimately rose to command the Shanghai Scottish. In addition he was enthusiastic member of the Row. ing Club, while in later years he took to golf. He was a member of many other clubs in Shanghai.
It is always difficult to write the yatealtory fo an "old "feendh he writer seems always so close to the picture as to fil to perceive proper perspective, when once @ certain reticence had been overcome, proved a very true and loyal friend, He took no vantage of the facts of his gallant war record.
As a journalist, Wood, was remarkable for his very efficient shorthand writing, and the unflagging zeal with which he went in pursuit of news, trid his passion for' accuracy, when became assistant editor, kept many of his contemporaries well on their oes. On his retirement he settled in Scotland, becoming editor of the "Montrose Standard," In the town of hig birth, It was reported from time to time that his health had considerably improved, so that the news of his death comes as somewhat. of a shock. He leaves. behind him 8 widow with whom the deepest sympathy will be felt in her Mr, Webley C. Taylor Capt, Renard Wood Many friends will mourn the pass-Ing of Mr. Webley C. Taylor, of the Shanghai Power Company, who died fon Mar. 2 at the Shanghai General Hospital. For five years, after undergoing a severe major operation, continued to attend to his duties though handicapped by a semi invalidism that would have daunted the less courageous and purposeful. His grit and good cheer were a stimulus whose influence will not soon fade, nor his remembrance fail to challenge the lives of those who were witnesses of his fortitude. he covered the Chinese revolution and wrote lively despatches of th" engagements round Nanking. His adventures on troop trains, armoured trains and other precarious means of conveyance were the natural pro-He never bothered by the rigours of short commons. Afterwards, os a wer-veteran, he again was recording Chinese military operations in the fighting round" Shanhaikwan when Chang Tso-lin was challenging Marshal Wu Pelefu, His experience in France enabled him to sum up the relative strengths of the ditferent forces engaged with remarxable accuracy and so. gave his despatches exceptional authority.
War In France was while home on leave in 1914, the Great War having started, that he decided to volunteer for active service, joining the second battalion of the Black Watch, with which he served for the full duration of hostili-tes. Tt is believed that he at first refused a commission, preferring to serve Ju the ranks, but after having won the D.GM. he was prevailed upon to accept one, being finally promoted to a captaincy and adding the Military Cross and the Military Medal to his decorations. He was twice wounded and in after years suffered badly from the after effects of gassing.
The ton of missionaries of the China Inland Mission, "Mr. Taylor was educated at the Chefoo Schools. On leaving he was frst with Messrs. Forbes & Ca, both in Tientsin and Peking: he then joined Messrs. Reiss Coin Shanghai just before the Mr, Taylor went home with a Shanghai contingent in 1915, and ved in France both with the "Koylies" and the West Yorks Regiment, gaining the sit. After being both wounded and gassed, he trans~ ferred to the RAP, and was still in training at Hythe, Kent, when the war ended, Having been repatriated to Shanghai at the end of 1919, Mr, Taylor remained with Reiss & Ca, until he Joined the Shanghai Power Company in 1922. He was for years a member of "A" Ca, S.V.C., and was on duty uring the' local "war" of 1932, just before his tong illness became known to be serious, Mr, Taylor married, in 1918, Marcello Antoinette Corbaz, daughter of M. and Mme. A; Corbaz of Jussy, Switzerland, whom'he met in London while she was serving-in the V.AD. There are three sons, one of whom recently joined the "General Post Office in England, One remains at Pera School, Cambridge, and the third is in Shanghai, He returned to Shanghai in 1919, and immediately on his return was appointed assistant editor of this. Journal, which position he filled until "his retirement, through ill-health in 1982.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.