Walter Wright
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
The CWGC record gives the name of his mother as Kate Isabella Wright of 2 Mashams Yard, Isabella Street, Nottingham. The WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Card also has the name of his mother, Kate Isabella Wright, residence Nottingham. Walter's date and place of birth, 12 October 1897, Nottingham, is from his RN record and there is a birth registration for a Walter Wright, 1897 O/N/D Nottingham, although this did not give his mother's maiden name. However, there is a record of the baptism of a Walter Wright at Nottingham St John on 3 November 1897, parents John Henry and Isabel (sic) Wright of 5 Queen's Square (back). On the 1911 Census John Henry Wright (40 b. Nottingham) a general labourer, his wife Isabella (38 b. Stretton nr Warrington Cheshire) were living at 3 Smoke's Yard, Mortimer Street, Nottingham, with their sons Walter (13) and Arthur (10 b. Birmingham). John and Isabella had been married for 20 years and had three children. Arthur's registration of birth (Warwickshire) has not yet been identified nor has his parents' registration of marriage. No other civil records have yet been traced in support of the above identification of Walter's family.
Last ship: (Europa I) HMS Louvain formerly SS Dresden. HMS Europa - Depôt and Flagship, Mudros Harbour (July 1915-1919). Walter joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 5 March 1915 and enlisted on a 12 year engagement on 12 October 1915, his 18th birthday. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: Vivid I, 5 March 15-17 June 1915 (Boy 1st Class 9 June 1915); HMS Albion, 18 June 1915-13 January 1916 (Ordinary Seaman 12 October 1915); HMS Lord Nelson, 14 January 1916-19 September 1917 (Able Seaman 1 June 1916); Victory I, 20 September 1917-21 October 1917; HMS Excellent, 23 October 1917-31 December 1917; Europa I, 1 January 1918-20 January 1918. His record was annotated, ‘NP 848/18. DD [Discharged Dead] 20 January 1918 when HMS Louvain was sunk.’ SS Dresden was owned by the Great Eastern Railway Company and operated as a ferry between England and Belgium. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty, converted to an armed steamer and used as troop transport. She was renamed HMS Louvain. HMS Louvain made regular passages from Malta to Mudros on the Greek island of Lemnos in the north Aegean Sea. She was escorted from Malta to the Corinth Canal through which she passed independently, and was then met by another escort at the eastern end of the canal. On 20 January 1918 HMS Louvain (Lieutenant Commander MO Easton RNR) was escorted from the canal by the motor torpedo boat, HMS Colne. HMS Louvain was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine UC-22 (Kapitanleutnant Carl Bunte, captain 1 January 1918-16 May 1918) in the Kelos Strait with the loss of over 200 of her ship's company including the captain. HMS Colne also came under attack but was able to assist with the rescue of casualties. The losses included at least 70 Maltese ratings who were either part of the ship's company or were to be drafted to other RN ships. There were fewer than 20 survivors. Walter's body was not recovered for burial and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
An employee of Boots Company (Retail Branches) also served in HMS Louvain and died on 20 January 1918: J/34813 Able Seaman Sidney Edward Timms of Brighton. Also J/72387 Ordinary Seaman Harry Critchlow of Kirkby in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. (See records on this Roll of Honour). The Times: Malta, 4 February 1918. ‘Naval Vessel Sunk. Louvain Torpedoed in Mediterranean. Loss of 224 Lives. The Secretary of the Admiralty makes the following announcement … A Reuter telegram from Malta, dated January 26, says: ‘So far as is known 70 Maltese are missing as the result of the loss of the Louvain. These included practically all naval ratings from assistant engineers to ordinary seamen, of whom 24 formed part of the crew, while the remainder were intended for disposal among ships of the Fleet. Since the Battle of Jutland this is the heaviest loss Malta has sustained at any one time during the war.’
