John Thomas Wright
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- Military History
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John Thomas Wright was born in 1868 at Lichfield, Staffordshire, the son of Thomas a coal miner and Sarah Ann Wright, he was baptised on 6th December 1868 at St Michaels Church, Lichfield He was the husband of Sarah Ann Wright, of 3, Lingford St., Hucknall, Notts. He married his wife C1897 and they went on to have 11 children, 3 of whom died in infancy or early childhood, their children all born in Hucknall were Ernest Joseph b1898, Norah b1899, (died John Thomas b1900, William James b1901 (died) Cyril b1902, Linda b1903 (died) Joseph b1904, Wilfred b1906, Arthur b1908, Leslie b1909, Henry b1910. In the 1911 census the family are living at 40 Truman Street, Hucknall and are shown as John Thomas 42 yrs a coal miner, he is living with his wife Sarah Ann 35 yrs, and their children , Ernest Joseph 13 yrs an underground coal worker, John Thomas 11 yrs a scholar, Cyril 9 yrs, Joseph 7 yrs, Wilfred 5yrs, Arthur 3 yrs, Leslie 2 yrs and Henry 5 months
Private John Thomas Wright enlisted at Hucknall and served with the 11th battalion, Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He landed in France on 27th August 1915 and was killed in action on 12th February 1916 he was buried in Y Farm Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France grave reference F44
Following article was published in the 'Nottingham Evening Post', 6th March 1916. “FATHERLESS CHILDREN. “HUCKNALL FATHERS WHO HAVE FALLEN IN THE WAR. “The death list for Hucknall in connection with the war has now been advanced to 32 by the War Office notification that Private Sam Bird [1], of the Gloucestershire Regiment, was killed on November 7th. This was about the time when letters ceased to come from him, but it thought that he was a prisoner since a striking resemblance to his features was noticed in a group which came from Gemany. His family also believed it was their father, but the absence of news from the internment camp, followed now by the War Office notification, removes all doubt of his being alive. He leaves a wife and five children, residing in Whyburn-street, Hucknall. “Other Hucknall men who have recently made the great sacrifice are Richard Porter [2], who leaves a wife and five children, and John Thomas Wright [3], whose loss is mourned by a wife and nine children. Both the latter have a son each in the fighting line, and in the case of the Wrights father and son were on furlough together quite recently. The father was killed four days after returning to France. Thus 19 Hucknall children have been rendered fatherless.” [1] He is commemorated on the Menin Gate. [2] Pte. Richard Porter, 7th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment, was killed in action on 7th January 1916. He is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. [3] Pte. John Thomas Wright, B Company, 11th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, was killed in action on 12th February 1916. He was the 45 year-old son of Thomas Wright, of Lichfield; husband of Sarah Ann Wright, of 3 Lingford Street, Hucknall Above article and information are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918
