Peter Harold Wright
Encyclopedia
Peter Harold Wright VC
(10 August 1916 – 5 April 1990) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
, British Army
during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 September 1943 near Salerno
, Italy
, a steep, wooded hill was being assaulted by the 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards, and Company Sergeant-Major Wright's company, most of its officers killed, was held up near the crest. Sergeant-Major Wright took charge and single-handed he silenced with grenades and bayonet three Spandau posts and then led his men to consolidate the position. He then beat off a counter-attack, and disregarding the heavy fire, brought up extra ammunition.
Wright's Distinguished Conduct Medal
was substituted for the VC on the instructions of King George VI.
Peter was born in Mettingham
, near Bungay
, Suffolk
on 10 August 1916. In 1946, Peter married Molly Hurren from Wenhaston, Suffolk, and died in Ipswich on 5 April 1990.
After the war Peter farmed at Church Farm, Blythburgh
, Suffolk and later on the estate of Lord Tollemache.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(10 August 1916 – 5 April 1990) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Wright was 27 years old, and a company sergeant-major in the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream GuardsColdstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 September 1943 near Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, a steep, wooded hill was being assaulted by the 3rd Bn. Coldstream Guards, and Company Sergeant-Major Wright's company, most of its officers killed, was held up near the crest. Sergeant-Major Wright took charge and single-handed he silenced with grenades and bayonet three Spandau posts and then led his men to consolidate the position. He then beat off a counter-attack, and disregarding the heavy fire, brought up extra ammunition.
Wright's Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
was substituted for the VC on the instructions of King George VI.
Peter was born in Mettingham
Mettingham
Mettingham is a village in Suffolk, England, close to the border with Norfolk.Its church, All Saints, is one of 38 existing round-tower churches in Suffolk, UK....
, near Bungay
Bungay, Suffolk
Bungay is a market town in the English county of Suffolk. It lies in the Waveney valley, west of Beccles on the edge of The Broads, and at the neck of a meander of the River Waveney.-Early history:...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
on 10 August 1916. In 1946, Peter married Molly Hurren from Wenhaston, Suffolk, and died in Ipswich on 5 April 1990.
After the war Peter farmed at Church Farm, Blythburgh
Blythburgh
Blythburgh is a small English village in an area known as the Sandlings, part of the Suffolk heritage coast. Located close to an area of flooded marshland and mud-flats, in 2007 its population was estimated to be 300. Blythburgh is best known for its church, Holy Trinity, internationally known as...
, Suffolk and later on the estate of Lord Tollemache.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Suffolk)
- Peter Wright VC — Wright family website, Suffolk, England