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3406 2nd/1st Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company
Robert Wright was born in 1889 in Sudbury, one of four children of Edward and Sophia Wright. His father was a shopkeeper and the family lived at one time above the grocers shop along with two servants at 8 Market Hill, before later moving to Mayfield, Newton Road. Robert worked alongside his father assisting in the family business. The family were well known Quakers and worshipped at The Friends Meeting House in Friars Street.
The shop was known as ‘Wrights’ and after the death of Robert, his parents retired to 43 Berners Street, Ipswich. Their surviving son had no wish to continue with the business and it was sold to their assistant Mr King, the name changed to ‘Kings’ and was well known in the town until it closed a few years ago when the owners retired.
Robert enlisted on 21 April 1915 at Armoury House, City Road, London the Head Quarters of the Honourable Artillery Company. His service record shows he was 5ft 8¼ ins in height with a good physical development. He was posted to the battalion and promoted to Lance Corporal on 4 September 1915. The battalion formed part of 22nd Brigade, 7th Division.
On 2 October 1916 Robert landed with the battalion in France with the rank of Sergeant. He was killed in action aged 27 on 30 November 1916 less than two months after arriving at the front. His Company Commander Major C F Kershaw wrote: ‘We were holding a dangerous piece of the front line and the post your son was on, was on the extreme right of the Company; the post had just been relieved and your son and his men were crawling back to the trench when the Huns sent up a star shell and immediately turned a machine gun on the men. One of the men Aldersley by name was hit in the stomach and your son turning to the corporal, said “Here give me a hand to lift him, I cannot leave him there.” After proceeding some little distance, the going being very heavy and covered with shell-holes half full of water the Huns again repeated the performance and Aldersley was again hit and also your son. I am sorry to say mortally. He died where he fell, performing the finest action an NCO could do to one of his men, namely risking his life to try and save a wounded comrade. I can safely say he was the most popular NCO in the whole Company and his men loved him. I had him in my company for many months and I early picked him out for promotion and had he lived I was going to recommend him for a commission in his old regiment but fate has decreed otherwise’.
Robert was buried at Beaumont Hamel but his grave was lost in the fighting and today there is no known grave. He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. Robert was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid at the Thiepval Memorial in April 2006 and April 2009.
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