Lt.Col. Arthur St John Wright O.B.E.

  Notes:

Had third child removed from this site at the request of that persons family.

Found birth record on ancestry.

1891 Census (age 7) is living with parents and siblings at St.Mary Islington Workhouse Infirmary, where father is supervising surgeon & GP.

1901 census (age 17) living in Felsted Village, Essex with parents and 2 brothers.

Education; Felsted School
From Old Felstedian Alumni Register (only upto 1931);
Wright, Arthur St.John (Monts House). May 1897 - July 1902. Major, Indian Army Service Corps. O.B.E. c/o Lloyds Bank Ltd. 6 Pall Mall, SW1. School Gymnasium Representative at Aldershot 1901-2. Mishmi Work Party, 1912-13. France 1915-16. Afghanistan, 1919 (mentioned). Wariristan, 1921-24. O.B.E., Despatches. Embarkation Commandant, Karachi, 1927-31.

From later Felstedian Alumni Register; May 1897-July 1902. c/o Lloyds Bank Ltd. 6 Pall Mall, SW1 and Rose Hill, London Road, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey. Gym Representative at Aldershot 1901-2. Commissioned Essex Regiment 1902. Transferred to Indian Army. Retired at Lt-Col 1936. Mishmi Work Party (Assam) 1912. 1914-18 with Indian Cav. Div. D.A.D.S. & T.India 1918-22. Afghanistan 1919 (one despatch). Waziristan 1921-24 (one despatch, OBE). Embarkation Comdt. Karachi (D.A.Q.M.G.) 1927-31. Comdt. and Chief Instr. R.I.A.S.C. School 1934. Officer i/c R.I.A.S.C. Records 1935. Editor R.I.A.S.C. Journal 1911 and 1934-6. R.I.A.S.C. Cricket XI 1935-6. Fruit and Pig Farming at Great Totham, Essex 1937-47.

London Gazette; 29th August 1902; "Infantry; 4th Battalion, the Essex Regiment, Arthur St John Wright, Gent, to be Second Lieutenant".

London Gazette; 19th May 1905; "The Essex Regiment, Lieutenant Arthur St John Wright, from 4th Battalion, vice V.Bromley, seconded"

1906 The Badminton Magazine of Sports and Pastimes ; I think he's won a photographic competition as says "...following competitors ..... Mr.A.St John Wright, 2nd Essex Regiment, Malta (2 gns)....." then there is a caption "Photograph by Mr.A.St John Wright, 2nd Essex Regiment, Malta" picture apparantely of "Maltese Boys Bathing in the Harbour, Malta".

London Gazette 1911; The Essex Regiment. The undermentioned Lieutenants are to be seconded:- Arthur St.J.Wright, for service with the Indian Supply and Transport Corps. Dated 28th November 1911.

Wendy; 1911 Census; Arthur is listed under military in Rawlpindi with Essex Regiment

1911: Inherited 1/5th of his father's estate.

Indian Army List Jan 1912 (on ancestry);
Surname: Wright
Given Name: A.St.J Essex R.
Birth Date: -----
FIRST COMM: 20 May 05
DATE RANK: 28 Aug. 11
RANK: Lt.
COMPANY: Supply And Transpotr Officers, 6th. Class
REMARKS: Mhow
Page #: 450 d

1912 ; his wedding a Mhow - one of the witnesses was Victor Hart Secker - who was married to his cousin Ina Salmon.

London Gazette; 29th December 1914; "To be Captain; Lieutenant Arthur St John Wright, from the Essex Regiment. Dated 28th August 1914, but to rank from 20th May 1914. Captain Wright's rank as Lieutenant is ante-dated to the 20th August 1907".

1914; The Badminton magazine of sports and pastimes Volume 38; Photograph by Mr.A. St. John Wright, The Essex Regiment, attached Supply and Transport Corps, Mhow, India with caption; 'A Curious Position; This is not, as might appears at first sight, a rider about to part company from his mount, but a snapshot of a horseman attempting to pick up an object off the ground.

Have hard to read copy of Citation for Capt A.St John Wright for 1914-15 war for '1914/15 Star issued by the xxxx (Govenor??) of India. Theatres of War; France and Egypt". Other bits which can't read.

London Gazette; The undermentioned are granted temp. rank whilst holding appts. in India; Capt A St J Wright, S&T Corps, Ind.Army, whilst Dep. Asst. Dir of Supplies. 27th Feb 1918.

London Gazette; 13th March 1925; Order of British Empire announcements for valuable services rendered in the field in connection with military operations in Waziristan, 21st April 1923 to 31st March 1924. "To be Officers of the Military Division of the said Most Excellent Order. Major Arthur St John Wright, Indian Army Service Corps".

LG; 9th Oct 1931; The undermentioned officers have vacated appts. in India: “D.A.Q.M.G.—Maj- A. St. J. Wright, O.B.E., I.A.S.C., 15th July 1931”

From Wendy H;The Times Sep 9 1931. Naval, Military and Air Force. Changes in India. There will be a new Embarkation Commander at Karachi, this trooping season in place of Lt.Col A St J Wright OBE and the officer selected is Major W.D.G.Batten.

Divorced Eva sometime in 1934 .
From Wendy; mention of Arthur and Muriel's divorce in the Times of Jan 17 1934. Appears in the list of Probate Divorce and Admiralty Division. Judge Langton Court 1 Undefended Wright M M v Wright A St J (151). Muriel seems to have lost her first name Eva - but then again she was always known as Muriel.

From Wendy H;The Times June 14 1934. Court & Social; Service Dinners; Indian Army Service Corps. The dinner of the Indian Army Service Corps took place last night at 24 St Swithin's Lane. Amongst those present were .... Colonels .... A St J Wright.

London Gazette; Indian Army; The undermentioned officers are restored to full pay; Lt-Col.A.St. J. Wright OBE, 16th Nov 1935.

From Wendy H;The Times April 10 1935. The Army. Changes in India; Lt Colonel A.St.John Wright OBE IASC, as officiating officer in charge of IASC Records at Army HQ.

From Wendy H;The Times May 9 1936, Memoranda, Chief Instructor RIASC Training Group Chakala Lt.Col A.St.J.Wright OBE RIASC (April 27 1935).

Feb 1940; Informant of brother Christopher's death. Gave address as Chasefield Farm, Great Totham, Essex.

Was a witness at the wedding of Thomas George-Powell and Ann St John Wright in 1940.
He also gave away the bride and his wife and Kate were also guests but George isn't listed ?

1941; Essex Newsman; Great Totham for Barnardos Homes ".... Col. St. John Wright, OBE. the president, thanked all who had contributed to an enjoyable evening. The proceeds were for the Comforts Fund. "

1942; Occupation; Retired Lt Col Indian Army on Diana's wedding cert.

Old Felstedians; Fruit and Pig Farming at Great Totham Essex 1937 to 1947

He is the A.St.J.Wright who wrote on the back of the Priors Marston picture. In which case he was living at 37 Lexden Road, Colchester in 1949.

From Wendy H;The Times 10 May 1957. Deaths; WRIGHT on 6 May 1957, peacefully at the British American Hospital, Madrid, Lt.Colonel ARTHUR ST.JOHN WRIGHT OBE, late Essex Regt and Royal Indian Army Corps. dearly loved and devoted husband of Maud, father of Diana Bogue, <> and Barbara Blair. (was in Spain on holiday)

London Gazette 28th June 1957. Death announcements; "Wright, Arthur St John. 'Rose Hill', Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey. Lt.Colonel R.I.A.S.C. (Retired). Died 6th May 1957. Contact trustees Dept of Lloyds Bank, Guildford, Diana St John Bogue".

Article here http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/content/vol193/issue19/index.dtl was obtained by Wendy Henerson and says "In the census returns of 1841 and also in that of 1851 of the inhabitants of Sysonby (Leics) there is a May Wright shown as 'son' and in each case entered under the column 'males'. He is shown as aged 20 in 1841 and 30 in 1851 so was born 1821 ( Sysonby). Is May as a Chrisitan name for a male common? A. St John Wright (Lt-Col) ".
If nothing else this and the writing on the back of the PM picture show us that Arthur was obviously interested in the family tree. I believe he was investigating the person I also thought was May, but is actually Mary Elizabeth Wright and her sex is in the wrong column on the census form.

From Anthony; Arthur StJ Wright got the KGV silver jubilee medal in 1935, a couple of years before retiring. I couldn't find the Indian medal roll for the 1937 KGVI coronation medal though - might have got one just on retirement. He had a good group of 6, including his India general service medal with 2 MiDs & Indian Army OBE (Mil).

The Essex Review vol 59; There is a letter which ends ".... but in the case in question no location is given" A.St.John Wright, Lt-Col, Colchester.

Arthur married Eva Muriel Mary Holder, daughter of Cecil Frederick Holder and Unknown, on 12 May 1912 in Mhow, Calcutta, India. (Eva Muriel Mary Holder was born in 1885 in Tiverton Castle and died on 6 May 1961 in Hastings, Sussex..)

Arthur next married Maud Berkeley in 1935 in Simla, India. (Maud Berkeley died on 28 Aug 1971 in Selsey, Sussex.)