Today we remember the 100th anniversary of the death of James Wright of Morton, killed whilst serving with the 1/4th Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment on the 15th December 1917.
James was born in Bulby, Lincolnshire, in the summer of 1897 to Soloman Wright, a Groom and his wife Louisa Wells.
Soloman Wright was born around 1846 in Leverington, Cambridgeshire, and married Louisa Wells, from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire in 1876 in the Bourne area. They originally lived in Haconby before moving to Bulby.
They had nine children in all;
William David (b 1876)
George Ernest (b 1880)
Arthur Frederick (b 1882)
Albert Eddward (b 1886)
Walter Harold (b 1888)
Alfred Gordon (b 1891)
Henry Vernon (b 1895)
James (b 1897)
Emma Caroline (b 1901).
In 1911 James Wright can be found on the census (April 2nd) living with his parents in Bulby near Bourne. Soloman was listed as a Groom and Yardman and James was listed as a scholar. Later Soloman and Louisa moved to Hanthorpe and were living there in 1917 when they received the sad news about James.
James joined the Lincolnshire Regiment, although due to the destruction of records we are not sure exactly when. Records would show that originally he served with the 1/4th Lincolnshire regiment, afterwards was posted to the 1/5th Battalion and eventually ended up back in the 1/4th Battalion. These changes normally happened after training was finished or, as we believe in the case of James, after being considered fit to serve again after being wounded.
In March 1917 the Grantham Journal carried the following report;
Gassed – The many friends of Mr and Mrs Wright of Hnathorpe, will regret to hear that their youngest son, Lance-Corporal james Wright, has been gassed. A letter from the chaplin states he is in hospital, sick, having a small dose of German gas, and that every care is being taken of him.
James later recovered and rejoined his battalion and is next mentioned in a newspaper article, again in the Grantham Journal on the 24th November 1917;
Patriotic Family – Mr and Mrs Soloman Wright, of Hanthorpe, have five sons on active service. Driver Albert Edward is now in training, Private Walter Harold, Royal Warwicks, is severely wounded and in a base hospital, Private Alfred Gordon, Royal West Kents, Driver harry Vernon, Transport Section, and Lance-Corporal James Wright, Lincolnshire Regiment, who was gassed in February. The eldest son, William David wright, drills with the V.T.C., and the only daughter Emma is engaged in munitions. We congratulate Mr and Mrs Wright on such a family record.
In the autumn of 1917 the 1/4th and 1/5th Battalions relieved each other in succession and after spending time in the St. Elie ’ sector moved to Hill 70, north of Lens, about the middle of November, and in December, Cambrin, south of the La Bassee Canal, near Guinchy.
It is during this time defending the Bassee Canal that James Wright was killed in action.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
In Memory of Lance Corporal James Wright 201282, 1st/4th Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment who died on 15 December 1917 Age 20. Son of S. and Louisa Wright, of Hanthorpe, Bourne, Lincs.
Remembered with Honour, Cambrin Military Cemetery.
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