The Wright Family in WW1 - This page was researched by Steve Robertson

Henry Charles Wright In December 1899 Henry Charles signed up with 4th Battalion Suffolk to serve 12 years, 5 years as a regular & 7 years as a First Class reserve. Having served in the local militia he was sent to the barracks at Bury St Edmunds (2 Dec 1899) to start his basic training at the depot. He listed his previous job as a gardener. He was given a service number of 5437.

In January 1900 he was transferred to the 9th Battalion and then to 1st Battalion where on 6th Jan 1902 he went to South Africa and saw service during the 2nd Boer War until September, arriving back in England on 29 Sept 1902. He was awarded the South Africa Medal. On 17 January 1903 he transferred to the Army Service Corps & took training as a baker. His number was then S20393 with the S prefix referring to supplies. In June 1905 he extended his service with the colours to 8 years. In Dec 1907 he moved into the “A” reserves & re engaged each year until 2 Dec 1911. During this period he was awarded two good conduct badges and at the end of 1911 he re-engaged for 4 years. He was mobilised at Aldershot on 6 August 1914.

As part of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) Henry Charles went to France on 12 Aug 1914. Whilst serving with K Supply Company Army Service Corps; he was promoted to Acting Sergeant in Feb 1916. Subsequently he was wounded or suffered illness and returned to UK in November 1916.

He arrived in India (via South Africa) on 26th December 1916 and moved to Mesopotamia in April 1917 and then to Egypt in April 1918. He left Egypt on 5 July 1948 & arrived back in UK on 19 July 1918. At some point in his travels Henry contracted malaria. The war ended in in Nov 1918 and Henry was discharged from the regular army on 11 March 1919 to a class Z reservist. For his part in the war Henry was awarded the 1914 Star, The British War Medal & Victory Medal.

He then applied to join the Chinese Labour Corps which he did in July 1919 and served with them until 23rd March 1920. During this time he was cautioned and reprimanded for drunkenness; given the nature of the work this is perhaps understandable. He received a disability pension & army pension.

Sidney Augustus Wright Sidney joined the King’s Royal Rifle Corps on the 10th December 1915 and was given service number A200601, having previously enlisted in the Regiment (service number 6205). Whilst the KRRC saw extensive combat in the European theatre it is probable that Sidney was part of the 5th or 6th (reserve) Battalions who were stationed at Winchester at the outbreak of war and then moved to Sheerness where they remained. Sidney left the army on the 21st March 1919 and was awarded the Silver War Badge.

Albert Victor Wright The Independent Press recorded on September 4th 1914 that Albert Victor Wright (27) a labourer of 8, Doric Street Cambridge had joined Lord Kitchener’s army; among many others.

He joined the as a Private and was given a service number 9105 and served in A Company of the 7th Battalion.

The 7th (Service) Battalion was formed at Bury St. Edmunds on 20th August 1914 as part of the First New Army (K1) and then moved to Shorncliffe to join the 35th Brigade of the 12th Division. In February 1915 it moved to Aldershot. On the 30th May1915 it mobilised for war and landed at Boulogne. On the 5th June the units began to advance from south of St, Omer.

The Battle of Loos took place in October 1915. The battle witnessed the first British use of poison gas and was the first engagement of large numbers of troops from Kitchener’s New Army. The 7th Suffolk Regiment was involved in the attack in the Hulluch Quarry area. The 7th Suffolk (and 7th Norfolk) managed to gain a foothold in the south-western area of the quarry but came under heavy machine gun fire. The action ended in stalemate/German victory.

Albert Victor sustained a gunshot wound to the left elbow and was transferred to the Sick Convoy on October 14th, being listed as “Wounded” on the War Office Casualty List on October 19th. He was treated at British Other Ranks No. 2 General Hospital at Quai De Escales, Le Havre on the Hospital Ship St David for 10 days. He was authorised to wear a “Wound Stripe”.

He transferred to the Labour Corps under service number 371057 and was awarded the 1914 Star, The British War Medal & Victory Medal. Lilian Best (nee Wright) Joined the WRAF in Cambridge 24th August 1918, service number 21691 and worked as a waitress at RAF Duxford. She was demobilised at Duxford 1st April 1919.

Leonard Wright Worked as a signalman on the Great Eastern Railway

Alfred William Wright Joined the 2nd Cambridgeshire Regiment 1st Battalion under service number 326184 on the 28th November 1914. The 2/1st Battalion was formed at Cambridge in September 1914 and then moved to Peterborough as part of the 207th Brigade of the 69th Division. In Feb 1915 it moved to Bury St. Edmunds to replace the 1/1st Battalion of the East Midland Brigade of the East Anglian Division, returning in April 1915 to Peterborough and re-joining the 207th Brigade of the 69th Division before moving to Newmarket in June of that year. In November 1915 they formed the 4/1st Battalion, which in June 1916 moved to Harrogate and then Middlesbrough. In May 1917 it moved to Carburton near Ollerton. Finally on the 8th October 1917 it moved to Canterbury and transferred to the 200th Brigade of the 67th Division. In March 1918 it was disbanded. Alfred William was discharged on the 20th November 1918; the reason for discharge – dyspepsia. He was awarded the UK Silver War Badge 1914-20.

Reginald Harvey Wright Joined the Suffolk Regiment as a Private with Service number 8438 2nd Suffolks on 15th August 1914. The 2nd Battalion were immediately sent to France on 17th August and engaged in the Battle of Mons, and what was known as “The Great Retreat”. On the 26th August the Battalion took part in the Battle of Le Cateau, designed to slow the German advance. According to the official historian there were over 7,000 British casualties and 2,600 were taken prisoner. The [German] records show Reginald as one of those taken prisoner, fortunately unwounded. On the 19th September 1914 Reginald was listed, by the army, as ‘Missing in Action’ and on 4th April 1915 as a Prisoner of War. The records show that he was initially held at Senne (December 1914) and was still there in February 1917, but in May 1917 he was being held in Minden. Prisoners were repatriated from the Minden camp in December 1918. During the repatriation process he was transferred to the Labour Corps with Service Number 691355. He was awarded the 1914 Star and a clasps and roses bar, the British War Medal & Victory Medal.

Archie Harold Wright Joined the Suffolk Regiment as a Private with a Service number 70545 in 1914. Joined the Suffolk Regiment as a Private with a Service number 5820587 3rd May 1919. Transferred to the RAMC 10th August 1923. 1935 promoted to Corporal Discharged 21st October 1938.

Edward Donald Wright Joined the 11th Hussars 1st July 1919 with Service Number 52311 Served in Egypt from 30th October 1919 until 29th September 1921 Served in India from 30th September 1921 until 19th January 1926 Discharged 30th June 1926 Reengaged with Royal Tank Corps Service Number 535015 1st July 1931 Discharged 30th June 1939.