The son of Sir Charles Alexander Wood, deputy chairman of the Great Western Railway, he was born at Kensington in May 1841.

[2] After completing his education, Wood was commissioned into the 10th Royal Hussars as a cornet in July 1858,[3] with him purchasing the rank of lieutenant in September 1859.

When Kerr returned to England on leave, Wood assumed command of the regiment and in the winter of 1877 he marched it from Muttra to Rawalpindi.

[11] In February 1884, he embarked aboard the troopship HMS Jumna for the return journey to England following the end of the Hussars service in India.

[13] Upon his return to England in 1884, Wood was ordered to attend the movements of the Austro-Hungarian Army, for the purpose of reporting on their cavalry.

[5] He retired on half-pay in March 1886,[14] at which pount he was appointed Inspector of Auxiliary Cavalry and second-in-command of a brigade at Aldershot Garrison.