Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Wallace Duffield Wright VC CB CM DSO Legion d' Honneur

The Royal West Surrey Regiment (The Queen's)

Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Wallace Duffield Wright VC

Born in Gibraltar on 20^th September 1875. He was commissioned into the 1^st Battalion The Royal West Surrey Regiment (The Queen's) on 9^th December 1896 and served with the Malakand Field Force and the Tirah Expeditionary Force 1897-1898. He became Lieutenant on 13^th September 1898; Captain on 22^nd January 1903; Brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 1^st January 1916; and Brevet Colonel on 1^st January 1919.

He passed through Staff College and was GSO III at the War Office from 2^nd April 1909 to 15^th August 1911, from 16^th August 1911 to 1^st April 1913 he was Brigade Major of the 3^rd Brigade, Aldershot. On 28^th January 1914 he was GSO II and employed with the West African Frontier Force, serving in the Cameroons. He served on the Western Front 1916-1919 with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and then as GSO II 55^th Division; GSO I 18^th Division; Brigadier-General Staff of the 17^th Army Corps and Brigadier-General in command of the 8^th Infantry Brigade.

He was a member of HM's Body Guard of Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms 1932-1950.

During the Second World War he served in the Home Guard.

He was awarded the CMG in 1916, the DSO in 1918; retired from the Army in September 1940, and was at one time a Member of Parliament. He died at Westways Farm, Chobham, Surrey, on 25^th March 1953, aged 78.

He was decorated with the Victoria Cross by HM King Edward VII at Buckingham Palace on 5^th November 1903. His Victoria Cross is in the Regimental Museum of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment at Clandon Park, Guildford, Surrey.

His Citation reads:-

'On 24^th March, 1903, Lieutenant Wright with only one officer and forty-four men took up a position in the path of the advancing enemy, and 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 till they were in full retreat. The personal example of this officer, as well as his skilful leadership, contributed largely to the brilliant success of this 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.'

Date of Act of Bravery 24th March 1903 Kano-Sokoto Expedition Northern Nigeria

London Gazette 11th September 1903

Medals of Lieutenant (later Brigadier General) Wallace Duffield Wright VC,
CB, CMG, DSO, Legion d' Honneur.

(Click image to view enlarged)

 

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