Born Hickling, Norfolk 1893. Son of Frederick George and Sarah Wright, of Albert Dock, Hull (CWGC Address). Living at 16 Londesborough Street, Hull (1911 census). His father was from Norfolk and worked as a bridge foreman.
AS PER SOLDIER’S DIED IN THE GREAT WAR RECORDS – HE ENLISTED IN NORWICH. FORMERLY, PRIVATE, 18002, NORFOLK REGIMENT. TRANSFERRED AS PRIVATE, FREDERICK WILLIAM WRIGHT, 20543, 1ST ESSEX REGIMENT. KILLED AT GALLIPOLI, ON 13/08/1915, AGED 22 AND IS COMMEMORATED ON THE HELLES MEMORIAL, TURKEY. HE WAS LOST ON THE TROOPSHIP, “ROYAL EDWARD”, SUNK BU 1B-14 WITH THE LOSS OF 132 LIVES.
ROYAL EDWARD SS was a British Ocean Liner of 11,117 tons built in 1908 by Fairfield, Govan, Yard No 450 for the Egyptian Mail Steamship Company as the Cairo SS. She was powered by 3 steam turbines; operating at 180 p.s.i.; 4 double ended & 4 single ended boilers; 48 corrugated furnaces; grate surface 989 sq. ft.; heating surface 39,540 sq. ft. Engines by Fairfield Govan. In 1910 she was acquired by the Canadian Northern Steamships Ltd and renamed ROYAL EDWARD SS. On the 13th August 1915 when 6 miles W from Kandeliusa, Aegean Sea she was torpedoed without warning and sunk by German submarine UB-14 whilst acting as a troopship. 132 lives lost including Master. Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?21090
PENSION LEDGER RECORDS STATE THAT FEDERICK’S STEPMOTHER WAS CALLED JESSIE, AND LIVED AT DOVECOT BUNGALOW, HULL BRIDGE ROAD, NEAR BEVERLEY, YORKSHIRE. HE WAS ONE OF TWO BROTHERS KILLED IN THE WAR.
HIS BROTHER, PRIVATE, HARRY WRIGHT, 3167, EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, DIED AT HOME, ON 06/05/1915. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS FATHER, FREDERICK WRIGHT. HE IS BURIED AT NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE (ST. ANDREW’S AND JESMOND) CEMETERY, NORTHUMBERLAND, UK. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “TOO DEARLY LOVED EVER TO BE FORGOTTEN, FATHER & MOTHER”.
ANOTHER BROTHER, PRIVATE, JOSEPH ARTHUR WRIGHT, 18825, LEICESTER REGIMENT, WAS DICHARGED FROM THE ARMY, ON 28/11/1917, AFTER LOSING HIS RIGHT LEG.
