Harry Wright was born on 20 October 1892 at Hengoed, Selattyn. He was the seventh of eight children to Joseph and Ann Wright,  Joseph was a gamekeeper, they lived at Twmpath at Hengoed. For 1911 no record can be found for Harry although his parents and younger siblings, Herbert and Hilda were living at 1 Park Terrace, Whittington Road. Father Joseph died in 1914, his widow then lived at 2 Llwyn Road.  It is possible that in 1911 Harry was a serving soldier and, at the outbreak of war, was on the reserve list. He would have been mobilized at the outbreak of war joining 5 Bn King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. He went over to France as a draft in July 1915. He was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery under heavy shell fire in July 1917. In February 1918 the 5 Bn KSLI was disbanded with men transferred to, amongst other units, 1 Bn KSLI.

Harry was wounded and taken prisoner on 21 March 1918 during the Operation Michael, Kaiser Offensive at Lagnicourt when the 1 Bn KSLI had almost been routed. (see also Private 27134 Reginald H Pendry) During the retreat they had become surrounded  and had to fight their way out, it was every man for himself, those wounded, including Harry who had been hit in the head, were left behind. He was taken prisoner and incarcerated at Wesel. He died of his wound on the 5 April at Wesel. As a prisoner he had been registered with the International Red Cross. News of him eventually reached Oswestry early in May when his mother received a communication from the British Help Committee – ‘It is with extreme regret that I have to inform you of the death of your son Pte Wright which occurred on 5 April 18 from wounds received before being taken prisoner. He was buried in the cemetery at Wesel with military honours accorded a PoW. On behalf of myself and comrades I tender you our deepest sympathy in your great and sad bereavement’. After the Armistice PoW and other graves throughout Germany were concentrated in larger cemeteries. Harry was re-interred at Cologne Southern Cemetery at this time. He is also commemorated on the war memorials at Holy Trinity Church, Oswestry and at Whittington.

Prisoners of War – PoW were protected by the 1907 Hague Convention (superseded in 1929 Geneva Convention) governing ‘the rules of war’ including the treatment of PoWs. As nowadays, the principal organisation policing and monitoring the legislation was the International Red Cross which liaised and passed on news to the relevant organisation in the home country, in the UK this was the British Help Committee.

Acknowledgements.

References and Sources

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