Lieutenant James Turstin WRIGHT RN
Royal Naval Air Service

Date of birth: 4th September 1897
Date of death: 17th July 1919

Killed on active service aged 21
Buried at Thorncliffe Cemetery, Barrow-in-Furness Plot II Grave 2508
He was born in Derby on the 4th of September 1897 the youngest son of James Wright, architect and surveyor, and Elizabeth (nee Walton) of 122 Clarence Gate Gardens, Dorset Square in London, later of 19 Hartington Mansions, Hartington Place, Eastbourne. He was christened at Quardon in Derbyshire on the 10th of October 1897.

He was educated at the Junior King's School from September 1905 to July 1907 during which time he won the Form 1 form prize in December 1906 and the Form IIc English prize in the summer of 1907. He went on to the Royal Naval College, Osborne in May 1910 and later to the Royal Naval College Dartmouth.

He was appointed as a Midshipman in the Royal Navy on the 31st of July 1914 and was posted to the battleship HMS Euryalus the following month, seeing action at Heligoland on the 28th of August. He was admitted to Plymouth Hospital on the 31st of October 1914 suffering from enteric fever and was discharged for leave on the 22nd of December 1914. He was passed as being fit to return to duty at a medical examination on the 21st of January 1915 and re-joined his ship. In October 1914 HMS Euryalus escorted a troop convoy to Gibraltar before sailing for service at Port Said and the Suez Canal in February 1915 and at Smyrna in March 1915. In April they sailed for service in the Dardanelles campaign. He spent some time during this period based at Port Said where he was engaged in the repair of vessels. He left Euryalus on the 4th of August 1915 and joined the cruiser HMS Europa the following day for service with their Torpedo Officer. He was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on the 15th of July 1916 and to Sub Lieutenant on the 15th of January 1917. From July 1917 until the 16th of January 1918, he served at the Royal Naval Depot in Port Said for duties with the Engineering Captain there.

He returned to England due to ill health and was posted to HMS President II on the 17th of January 1918 for instruction in the construction of airship sheds. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant on the 15th of March 1918 and was posted to the Royal Naval Airship base at the Royal Naval Air Station at Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness for executive administrative duties on the 12th of July 1918. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 15th of July 1918. He was admitted to Barrow Hospital on the 22nd of May 1919 and was admitted to Haslar Hospital at Portsmouth for tests on his eyesight on the 26th of June 1919. He was released from Haslar on the 28th of June, was invalided from the service and placed on the retired list on the same day due to "defective vision, myopia".

On the 17th of July 1919 he was riding his motorcycle near Barrow when he encountered a large flock of sheep in the road. He swerved to avoid them but crashed his motorcycle, was badly injured and died within the hour.

His brother, Corporal Basset Wright OKS 20th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) (3rd Public Schools), was killed in action on the 20th of July 1916.

He is not currently commemorated on the war memorial at the King's School Canterbury.
Junior King's School

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