Wallace Duffield Wright

Wallace Duffield Wright
Victoria Cross
Born	20 September 1875 Gibraltar
Died	25 March 1953 (aged 77) Chobham, Surrey
Buried at	Brookwood Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1896 - 1940
Rank	Brigadier General
Unit	Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) Northern Nigeria Regiment (attached) Home Guard
Battles/wars	Malakand Frontier War Tirah Campaign Kano-Sokoto Expedition World War I World War II
Awards	Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Companion of the Distinguished Service Order Mentioned in Dispatches
Other work	Member of Parliament (Conservative Party)

Brigadier General Wallace Duffield Wright VC CB DSO MP (20 September 1875 – 25 March 1953) was a British soldier and politician. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Victoria Cross action

Wright was 27 years old, and a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) attached to the Northern Nigeria Regiment, during the Kano-Sokoto Expedition.

On 26 February 1903 in Nigeria, "Lieutenant Wright, with only one [other] Officer and 44 men took up a position in the path of the advancing enemy sustained the determined charges of 1,000 Horse and 2,000 Foot for two hours and when the enemy, after heavy losses, fell back in good order, Lieutenant Wright continued to follow them up until they were in full retreat.

The personal example of this Officer, as well as his skillful leadership, contributed largely to the brilliant success of the affair.

He in no way infringed his orders by his daring initiative, as, though warned of the possibility of meeting large bodies of the enemy, he had purposely been left a free hand."^[1]

As Member of Parliament

In 1928, Wright was elected at a by-election as Conservative Member of Parliament for Tavistock following the death of the sitting MP Philip Kenyon-Slaney. He was re-elected at the 1929 general election, but stood down at the 1931 general election.

His VC is currently on display at The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment Museum, Clandon Park, Surrey.

Honours and awards

	Victoria Cross (VC)[2]	5 November 1903 by HM King Edward VII
	Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)[2]
	Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)[2]	1916
	Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)[2]	1918
	East and West Africa Medal[2]
	India Medal[2]
	1914–15 Star[2]
	British War Medal[2]
	Victory Medal with bronze palm for Mentioned in Dispatches[2]
	Defence Medal[2]
	King George V Silver Jubilee Medal[2]	1935
	King George VI Coronation Medal[2]	1937
	Officer of the Legion of Honour[2]	(France)

References

1. The London Gazette: no. 27596. p. 5663. 11 September 1903. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
2. "Queen's Royal Surreys". Retrieved 2012-09-15.

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Wallace Duffield Wright
• Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment: Wallace Duffield Wright
• Location of grave and VC medal (Brookwood Cemetery)
• The Brookwood Cemetery Society (Known Holders of the Victoria Cross Commemorated in Brookwood Cemetery)