James Francis Wright

View James Francis on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Service number:
268370
Rank:
Private
Service:
Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)
Origin:
Date of birth:
09 September 1899
Date of death:
26 April 1918
Age at Death:
18
WRIGHT James Francis

Known information

Of all Rutlanders who died, Private James Wright was the youngest to join the army during the First World War although he was not the youngest to be killed. And he may be remembered on two war memorials and a Roll of Honour in Rutland. James Francis Wright was son of John Francis and Jane Wright, of Lyndon, and was born at Burley-on-the-Hill, on 9 September 1899. He was a farm worker and enlisted on 14 October 1914 in the Lincolnshire Regiment, aged 15 years, one month and five days. He was later transferred to the Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment). He served in Ireland at the time of the Easter Rising in 1916, before going to France on 24 February 1917. He returned home soon afterwards injured, and was then stationed at St. Albans where he continued his training. He again went out to the front, and was wounded in action on the 25 April 1918 and died the following day. He was buried at Crouy British Cemetery, near Amiens, grave I.C.26. Private Wright was confirmed in France by the Bishop of London. He is remembered in St Martin's Church, Lyndon. However, there is another James Wright of the Sherwood Foresters remembered on Tickencote's War Memorial. We think it could be the same person. And there is also a J Wright of the Lincolnshire Regiment (James' former regiment) on the Roll of Honour inside Ketton church, though not on the war memorial outside. We don't know anything about him and think he too could be James Wright of Lyndon. It may simply have meant James moved around before joining up.

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  • Lyndon Church
  • Lyndon Memorial
  • Tickencote Church
  • Tickencote Memorial
  • Ketton Church
  • Ketton Church interior
  • Ketton Roll of Honour
  • J F Wright JS3
  • J F Wright JS2
  • J F Wright JS1
  • J F Wright 2

User contributions

4 images Some pictures of Mr Wright’s headstone, taken 19 April 2015.
By John Stokes on Monday 20th April '15 at 8:41pm
A Rutlander, living in Belgium
 

Rutland and The Battle of the Somme

More than 90 Rutland soldiers died in the Battle of the Somme which lasted from 1 July 1916 until the middle of November. Today they lie in cemeteries across the old battlefield in northern France or are remembered among the 72,000 names on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. By using our interactive map, you can find out what happened to them.

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