Followers of the blog will be familiar with Jono's contributions. If you look down the left -hand side you'll see links to maps of the Italian campaign. There is a whole series of maps and images charting Harry's progress through Italy. They were all Jono's work. He picked up the blog quite early on and, with his own military background, quickly engaged with Harry and his activities.
He volunteered to work on the maps. As Harry's battalion shifted location in Italy, he would email the annotated map for inclusion on the blog. He was the only person in the world who knew Harry's movements in advance.
Last summer, after we had started to make plans to meet up with Rocco, to visit the Italian battlefields, all correspondence suddenly stopped. To my shame, it's taken until now to discover what happened. It was so simple to just email. When that failed, I had no "Plan B." SNAFU.
Sadly, Jono died suddenly in his sleep in June. He leaves a wife, Stella and three daughters, Kate, Alexandra and little Sophie.
To my eternal regret, I never sat down with him and enjoyed the promised glass of wine. I know we would have become firm "proper" friends once we'd met face to face.
I've made many internet connections through this blog. Jono was one of the firmest. I've met a few of those friends. This gives me the resolve to make the effort to get out there and meet a few more.
Thanks to Jono for the support. Goodbye.
Bill
Major Jono Wood 1956 - 2009
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6 comments:
The 4 days adventure on the Asiago Plateau with Bill on Harry's footsteps were full of emotions. With Jono it would have been better. While we were talking of him, wondering why he didn't answer he was already gone. A very sad story. I hope his family will win this hard fate
Major Wood's contributions to the blog were enormously helpful to me. I would like his family to know how much we readers appreciate his work. Our prayers go out for those who mourn his passing. Thank you, Bill, for sharing the news.
'Maryland's' comment says it well: Major Woods' maps and diagrams were a wonderful addition to this blog, and greatly appreciated. Our thanks to him, and condolences to his family. -Gustav's greatgranddaughter
How sad, and how untimely.
I hadn't even registered the fact that he missed the trip, I just assumed that he was there with you, even if there was no direct reference to him in your account of it.
His family must be devastated. It will be small consolation to them, but they should know that all the time that he spent contributing background material to the blog was greatly appreciated by a worldwide community.
Hi,
I've just created my own blog and i'm really happy to find articles like this
I'm sorry to hear that the man behind the maps of Harry's progress is gone. My thoughts and sympathy are with his wife and children on this unfortunate event. Nevertheless, he leaves behind a contribution that has been appreciated the world over.
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