Up ] D.E. Bawtree ] D. H. Brooks ] L. A. Brooks ] E.L.Felgate ] C.A. Greenleaf ] E. Hughes ] L. Minns ] P. Mortlock ] R. Radford ] O. Theobald ] J. Thomson ] B.Wendon ] [ G. Wright ] C.Wyncoll ] map ]

WRIGHT, George William

Private 6550

ESSEX REGIMENT, 7th Battalion

transferred to (241971) 427th Agricultural Company,

LABOUR CORPS

Died Saturday, 7th July 1917. Aged 41

BORN ABBERTON

Son of George Sharp  and Ellen Wright. Husband of Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Wright (nee Crickmore). They married at Saint Andrew’s on 28th August 1910. They lived in Layer Road, Abberton, Colchester Essex.  The house was next to the Policeman's house opposite the cottages now known as "Moss Cottages" .  Oswald Theobald, who also died in World War 1, lived opposite.  Mrs. E.A. Wright, his widow, subsequently remarried to become Mrs. Radford. George's nephew, Peter Rogers, tragically was also to die for his Country, fighting in World War II in Italy. 

George was originally in one of the 2nd or 3rd Line Units of the 7th Battalion, The Essex Regiment, when he enlisted on the 21st October 1916 at Warley. His younger brothers were also in the Army. His brother, Charles Arthur, who was 3 years younger than George, was a sergeant in the 2nd Battalion the Essex Regiment. Frederick John , the youngest son (8 years younger than George) was in 32 PT. Labour Corps. There was also a sister, Susan Westhorpe Mole living on Mersea Island.

George joined up originally in October 1916.George's Service Record has been partially destroyed. Thus his movements are not clear. However, he appears to have spent several months being attached to Training Units, including The Royal Fusiliers and The Middlesex Regiment besides the Essex Regiment and part of the time was based at Thetford and later at Hounslow. He did not appear to have served overseas. 

He was transferred to the Labour Corps at Nottingham on 19th April 1917. The Labour Corps received men, who were medically down-graded through wounds, sickness or age and used them for labouring duties such as unloading stores, road-mending, forestry and agriculture. For the last 3 months before he died he had been allowed to work in a Market Garden in that neighbourhood. 

George was taken to hospital with Chronic Bronchitis very shortly afterwards. He died at Herbert Hospital, Woolwich.

He is buried in the South-West corner of Saint Andrew’s Churchyard, Abberton alongside relatives.

George earned the Allied Victory Medal & the British War Medal

REFERENCES

Information obtained from The Commonwealth War Graves web site. www.cwgc.org/

The pictures of the medals were kindly provided by Worcestershire Medal Service Ltd.

09/24/02 last updated

His funeral is reported in the Essex County Standard July 21st 1917

**********************************************************

These pages are dedicated to the memory of the Fallen from the two World Wars, who lived in Abberton & Langenhoe.. Prepared by Saint Andrew's Parochial Church Council. November 11th 2000

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws

1