Henry Wright
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Henry was the son of William Wright and his wife Eliza Ann nee Bee. William was born in Ruddington in about 1867 and Eliza Ann in Eckington, Lincolnshire, in about 1864. They were married at St Peter's parish church, Ruddington, on 27 November 1888. According to the 1911 Census they had had seven children of whom only five had survived infancy or childhood. Seven children have been traced on the census between 1891 and 1911: Mary EA b. 1889 (A/M/J Basford) probably d. 1892, Florence Elizabeth b. abt 1891, Sarah Ellen b. abt 1893, Ernest B. b. 1896 (J/A/S Basford) probably d. 1896/1897, Henry b. 29 August 1897 (O/N/D Basford), Alice b. 1901 (J/A/S Basford) and Mary Ellen b. 1905 (O/N/D Basford). All the children were born in Ruddington. The records of the births of all the children except Florence and Sarah provide the information that their mother's maiden name was 'Bee'. In 1891 William (24) an agricultural labourer, and Eliza Ann (27) were living at 1 Hibbers Yard, Easthorpe Street, Ruddington, with their one-year old daughter Mary EA (1). Four more children were born before the next census - Florence, Sarah, Ernest and Henry - but it appears that Mary and Ernest died during that period. By 1901 the family was at Easthorpe Buildings, Easthorpe Street, Ruddington. William (34) was now working as a railway navvy. The three surviving children were in the home on the night of the census; Florence (9), Sarah (7) and Henry (3). Two more daughters were born before the 1911 Census when William (44), a road man for the County Council, and Eliza (47) were still living on Easthorpe Street. Only their three youngest children were still at home: Henry (13) a factory cotton spinner, Alice (9) and Mary (5). The children's two older sisters, Florence and Sarah, who would have been about 19 and 17 respectively, have not yet been traced after 1901. Henry joined the Royal Navy two years later in June 1913, shortly before his 16th birthday.
HMS Glowworm. Henry joined the Royal Navy in June 1913 as a Boy 2nd Class and signed on on a 12 year engagement on 29 August 1915, his 18th birthday. He served in the following ships and shore establishments: MS Ganges June 1913-9 December 1913 (Boy 2nd Class, Boy 1st Class 9 December 1913); HMS Royal Arthur 10 December 1913-17 April 1914; Victory, 18 April 1914-30 April 1914; HMS King George V, 1 May 1914-2 March 1918 (Ordinary Seaman 29 August 1915, Able Seaman 26 January 1916); Victory I, 3 March 1918-20 March 1918, HMS Vernon, 21 March 1918-12 November 1918; HMS Glowworm, 13 November 1918-4 March 1919; Monitor 25 (Glowworm), 5 March 1919-31 May 1919; HMS Fox (Glowworm), 1 June 1919-25 August 1919. His RN record was annotated: ‘NP 1412/19. DD [Discharged Dead] 25 August 1919. Killed as the result of the blowing up of an ammunition lighter.’ HMS Glowworm, an Insect-class river gunboat, was assigned to the Dvina River Force in support of the White Russian armies, an operation which was later aborted. On the evening of 25 August the ship went to the aid of a barge on the river which had caught fire. However, Glowworm's captain, Cdr Green, was unaware that the barge was being used as an ammunition lighter. The barge exploded shortly after Glowworm had gone alongside. Eighteen of the ship's company were killed including all those in the fire fighting party and Cdr Green died later of his injuries. (See 'Extra information'.) The incident was widely reported in the British press in August and September and the casualty list was released on 2 September 1919: Nottingham Journal and Express, 2 September 1919: ‘Naval Victims. Admiralty story of the Archangel explosion. 21 killed & 19 injured. The Secretary of the Admiralty announces that information has been received from the Senior Naval officer, Archangel, that on the 27th ult.(sic), a fire occurred on board an ammunition lighter. HMS Glow-worm and HMS Cockchafer, not being aware of the contents of the lighter, closed to render assistance when an explosion occurred the Glow-worm and Cockchafer being damaged, the former seriously. The ship, however, will be able to steam after repairs. The following casualties are reported: HMS Glowworm … Died of injuries Acting Commander Sibald Walter Bluett Green DSO RN … Men: Killed (list of names) Wright Henry able seaman (Portsmouth).’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Henry was buried in Semenovka (Bereznik) Cemetery Extension but is now commemorated on a special memorial in Archangel Allied Cemetery, Russian Federation. The memorial stone includes the words, 'Their glory shall not be blotted out' (Ecclesiasticus 44.3), chosen by Rudyard Kipling and inscribed on memorials for those whose graves had been lost or destroyed.
'Their glory shall not be blotted out' www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/dix-noonan-webb/catalogue-id-2782179/lot-8100657: Advertising the sale of a ‘rare memorial plaque and scroll posthumously awarded to AB EH Coase who was killed in the HMS Glowworm explosion on the Dvina River on 25 August 1919. 'On the night of 25 August 1919, the gunboats Glowworm and Cockchafer were proceeding down the Dvina River to relieve Cricket and Cicala as part of the advance guard on R.N. gunboats operating on the Dvina. As the Glowworm and Cockchafer neared Bereznik the watch on the Glowworm spotted a barge on fire mid river. The Mercantile Marine Reserve and Russian crew of Army barge NT326 ôEdinburghö had raked out the galley fire as usual before heading to their hammocks for the night. Closer to midnight two of the crew awoke to find the aft cabin ablaze. Unable to stem the flames some of the crew fled the barge in a small boat. The crew of the barge had good reason to flee the inferno as they knew what Commander Green onboard Glowworm did not, that the barge was being used to transport ammunition and was loaded with 70 tons of explosive. As Commander Green brought the Glowworm alongside, nose towards the blazing barge, the crew of the gunboat rushed with hoses to fire-stations on the fore-deck in preparation to put out the conflagration. Many of Glowworm's crew not involved in fighting the fire crowded the fore-deck to watch the brilliant bonfire before them. As the crew of Glowworm began to fight the fire, the Cockchafer, some distance away, began to manoeuvre to approach the barge from another direction. A crowd had gathered ashore of men watching the spectacle. As the crowd watched in horror a huge wall of flame rose into the calm night sky. Soon after there was another explosion and several smaller ones after that ... A few minutes later an enormous flash blanketed the countryside ... The fore-deck had suffered the most damage being closest to the explosion. All of the fire-fighting crews had been wiped out whilst manning their hoses ... 23 officers and men had been killed, and another 15 had been wounded. Additionally two M.M.R. men and two Russian seamen onboard a nearby ammunition barge had been killed by flying debris and three other M.M.R. men wounded. It was the largest single day loss of life suffered by the Royal Navy in North Russia 1918-19.' HMS Glowworm was towed to Archangel for repair and then returned to England but was paid off shortly after reaching Chatham on 18 November 1919 (scrapped 1921).'
No Photos