Saturday 10 January 2015

EC Wright - mistaken identity

In July 1992 the medal auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb sold a Queen's South Africa and King's South Africa pair to Quartermaster Sergeant 11187 (61st Company (2nd Dublin)) and Lieutenant Imperial Yeomanry.

The catalogue contained the following research notes:

"Edward Cyril Wright was commissioned 2nd Lt., West India Regiment, 18th July, 1900, from the ranks of the County of London Imperial Volunteers. He served as A.D.C. to the Governor and C-in-C. Windward Islands from 19th January, 1906, to 18th July, 1906; Lieut. Wiltshire Regiment, 20th May, 1908; Captain 1st April, 1909; Staff Officer to local forces, Barbados 3rd July, 1908, to 5th October, 1913."

These details relate to a different Edward Cyril Wright who also served in the Anglo-Boer War: Lance-Corporal 12 City Imperial Volunteers.

It was this man who was commissioned into the West India Regiment (see London Gazette 17 July 1900)  and it is his career details wrongly attributed to Lt EC Wright Imperial Yeomanry.

Further proof comes from their birth dates:

EC Wright IY - ca. 1878 Rathmines, Dublin (WO128 IY Service papers)
EC Wright CIV - 7 July 1876, Naini Tal, India (Army List, British India Office - Births)

and there are separate entries for each EC Wright in the 1903 Army List.

The Register - the first "big list" of Anglo-Boer War participants is always revealing new information that sometimes, as in this case, corrects information many would take as correct.

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