Wallace Duffield Wright

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Wallace Duffield Wright

Born	(1875-09-20)20 September 1875 Gibraltar
Died	25 March 1953(1953-03-25) (aged 77) Cobham, Surrey
Buried at	Brookwood Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1896 - 1940
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) Northern Nigeria Regiment (attached) Home Guard
Battles/wars	Malakand Frontier War Tirah Campaign Kano-Sokoto Expedition World War I World War II
Awards	Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Companion of the Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Dispatches
Other work	Member of Parliament (Conservative Party)

Brigadier General Wallace Duffield Wright VC, CB, CMG, DSO (20 September 1875 – 25 March 1953) was a 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.

Victoria Cross action

Wright was 27 years old, and a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) attached to the Northern Nigeria Regiment, during the Kano-Sokoto Expedition.

On 26 February 1903 in Nigeria, "Lieutenant Wright, with only one [other] Officer and 44 men took up a position in the path of the advancing enemy sustained the determined charges of 1,000 Horse and 2,000 Foot for two hours and when the enemy, after heavy losses, fell back in good order, Lieutenant Wright continued to follow them up until they were in full retreat.

The personal example of this Officer, as well as his skilful leadership, contributed largely to the brilliant success of the affair.

He in no way infringed his orders by his daring initiative, as, though warned of the possibility of meeting large bodies of the enemy, he had purposely been left a free hand."^[1]

As Member of Parliament

In 1928, Wright was elected at a by-election as Conservative Member of Parliament for Tavistock following the death of the sitting MP Philip Kenyon-Slaney. He was re-elected at the 1929 general election, but stood down at the 1931 general election.

His VC is currently on display at The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment Museum, Clandon Park, Surrey.

Honours and awards

	Victoria Cross (VC)^[2]	5 November 1903 by HM King Edward VII
	Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)^[2]
	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)^[2]	1916
	Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)^[2]	1918
	East and West Africa Medal^[2]
	India Medal^[2]
	1914–15 Star^[2]
	British War Medal^[2]
	Victory Medal with bronze palm for Mentioned in Dispatches^[2]
	Defence Medal^[2]
	King George V Silver Jubilee Medal^[2]	1935
	King George VI Coronation Medal^[2]	1937
	Officer of the Legion of Honour^[2]	(France)

References

↑ London Gazette
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 "Queen's Royal Surreys". Retrieved 2012-09-15.

The London Gazette: no. 27596 p. 5663 11 September 1903. Retrieved 14 September 2012
Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Wallace Duffield Wright
Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment: Wallace Duffield Wright
Location of grave and VC medal (Brookwood Cemetery)
The Brookwood Cemetery Society (Known Holders of the Victoria Cross Commemorated in Brookwood Cemetery)

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Philip Kenyon-Slaney	Member of Parliament for Tavistock 1928–1931	Succeeded by Colin Mark Patrick

v t e Cranbrook

Locations in the parish of Cranbrook	Baker's Cross Coursehorn Hartley Swattenden

Buildings	Angley Mill Anthony's Mill Baker's Cross Mill Church Cranbrook station Dog Kennel Mill Fulling mill at Moat Farm Fulling mill at The Freight Hartridge Mill Hatmill Hockeredge Mill Paley Mill Pin Pond Mill Spratsbourne Mill Strict Baptist Chapel Union Mill Upper Mill

People	See List of people from Cranbrook

Schools	Cranbrook School

Sport, arts and leisure	Cranbrook Colony School Field Swifts Park

Persondata
Name	Wright, Wallace Duffield
Alternative names
Short description	British general
Date of birth	20 September 1875
Place of birth	Gibraltar
Date of death	25 March 1953
Place of death	Cobham, Surrey

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