Capt. A. B. Wright, no 23 squadron RFC

Marian · 29 October 2012, 07:02 PM

Can anyone provide any information about this pilot who is listed in Henshaw's The Sky Their Battlefield?

Captain A. B. Wright, no 23 squadron, RFC, who was shot in the foot in aerial combat over Lieven June 17, 1917.

I have not been able to resolve the initials, much less find out anything more about him.

Thanks!
--Marian

fetubi · 5 November 2012, 01:19 PM

Marian,

Sorry to say I've found nothing more about him over the last 20 years. But every day that passes increases the chance you'll find something!

There may be a casualty card at the RAF Museum Hendon. Why not send them an email, asking for a copy? It might have his christian names.

Good luck.

Trevor

Graeme · 5 November 2012, 04:03 PM

Marian

All that I can add is that 2nd Lt (Temp Capt) A B Wright, Highland Light Infantry (Territorial Force) was appointed a Flying Officer on 6 April 1917 and seconded to the RFC from that date.

Graeme

MattyBoy · 6 November 2012, 06:41 AM

Hi,
Could it be Arthur Banks Wright? If so, he obtained Royal Aero Club certificate number 4366 on 22nd February 1917.

Regards,
Matt.

Marian · 7 November 2012, 06:34 PM

Yes, it apparently was Arthur Banks Wright (4 Oct. 1894-). I was able to find his RAF service record at the National Archives, which notes that he was with 23 squadron and was wounded 17/6/17. Thank you all for references to other sources of info. on him.

This still leaves me with a mystery, which is probably not solvable. On 27 October, 1917, Parr Hooper (of the "Italian" or "2nd Oxford detachment") writes from Oxford about the family of Marion Grahame Wright (widow of Canadian Dr. Henry Pulteney Wright) who were based in Oxford during the war. Hooper remarks (somewhat ungrammatically) "then there is a nephew, a captain in the flying corps. With one leg shot off when he landed behind the lines in Boche-land, but got away again." I had high hopes of being able to identify this nephew as Capt. A. B. Wright. But A. B. Wright was from Glasgow and not, as far as I can tell, even distantly related to the Wright family Parr Hooper was acquainted with. Darn.

best,
--Marian