William (Bill) Wright, from Ibstock, Leicestershire. (5-2-1916 to 27-2-1999)
Private, 2/5th Bt Leicestershire Regiment, Army no 4862049
Served 5 years and 150 days (18-4-1940 to 14-9-1945)
Bandsman, infantryman and stretcher bearer
Overseas service: North Africa (23-12-1942 to 19-3-1943)
Wounded, including losing an eye, at the Kasserine Pass, Tunisia 22-2-1943. His best friend and fellow bandsman, Jack Woods, killed alongside him in the same action
POW first in Italy then in Germany (officially recorded as 20-3-1943 to 4-2-1945). Played the trumpet with “The Band”, Stalag IXB, Bad Soden including at funerals and for camp shows
Item list and details
1. Photo of Bandsman (Private) William (Bill) Wright in army uniform, June 1940
2. Photo of Bill Wright with his wife (Agnes Annie known as Nancy, right) and sister-in-law Gwen Eggington (left), taken in June 1940 but also stamped Stalag IXB
3. 2 photos of grade card (National Service Act 1939) dated 27 March 1940, showing William Wright as Grade I
4. 5 photos of extracts from Bill Wright’s final Soldier’s Service Pay Book showing details of enlistment 18/4/1940 and exemplary conduct, medical discharge (C1) effective 14-9-45
5. 2 photos of pass allowing Bill Wright to be absent from his unit from 23-6-45 for 56 days before formal discharge
6. Photo of group of Leicesters (Bill Wright top row second right), Gullane, Scotland, 16-8-1940
7. Photo of a group of Leicesters, stretcher bearers/medical orderlies, not dated. (Bill Wright front row second left)
8. Old postcard of Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone
9. Photo of Regimental band at Folkestone’s Leas Cliff Hall (Bill Wright top row third from left)
10. 3 photos of The Tigers dance band (including one showing names), Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone taken 4-1941, Bill Wright trumpet player second from left
11. 2 photos of sample sheet music for solo cornet (kept by Bill Wright)
12. Newspaper cutting in homemade, cardboard frame: “Ibstock Men Taken Prisoner” Bill Wright and others. Dated 24-3-1943 probably from The Leicester Mercury or The Coalville Times
13. Photo of a group of 3 prisoners all with eye injuries, Stalag IXB, Bad Soden (Bill Wright centre)
14. Photo of group of prisoners Stalag IXB, Bad Soden, (Bill Wright front row first right)
15. Photo of larger group of prisoners Stalag IXB, (Bill Wright third row up second right, with eye patch)
16. 5 photos of a letter sent to Bill Wright in Stalag IXB, Bad Soden, from Les Atkins (fellow Ibstock bandsman) posted Ibstock 31 July 1944. Stamped “Opened by examiner 4009” and Stalag IXB
17. 3 photos (one with name “Bill”, both with prison stamp) showing Bill Wright playing The Last Post at funerals, Stalag IXB ,
18. 11 further photos of funerals at Stalag IXB
19. Photo of The Band, Stalag IXB, Bad Soden, Bill Wright on trumpet, right
20. 4 photos of original programme for camp show Stalag IXB, Bad Soden: “We’re Always On The Inside”, 24 August 1944, featuring Bill Wright on trumpet and signed by cast members
21. 3 photos of cast of the show featuring Bill Wright on trumpet, Stalag IXB, Bad Soden, 24-8-1944
22. Photo of Bill Wright playing a trumpet solo in the show, Stalag IXB, 24-8-1944
23. 2 photos showing Bill Wright taking part in sketches from the show, Stalag IXB, 24-8-1944
24. 7 photos showing other cast members in sketches from the show, Stalag IXB, 24-8-1944
25. 3 photos of a copy of the programme for a second show: “Yankee Doodle”, Stalag IXB, Bad Soden, 26 December 1944, featuring the camp band
26. 2 photos showing camp handicrafts featuring items made by The Braille School
27. 2 photos: Red Cross playing card (Contract bridge scoring) brought home by Bill Wright
28. 2 photos: certificate in German, with rough translation, dated 13-10-1944, authorising Bill Wright’s repatriation
29. Newspaper cutting: “Ibstock captive coming home” (Bill Wright) undated but probably January 1945 and from The Leicester Mercury or The Coalville Times
30. Photo of the programme for the concert held on board SS Arundel Castle on 3-2-45, ship on which Bill Wright was repatriated
31. Newspaper cutting: “Repatriated Prisoners” not dated but probably 4-5 Feb 1945 and probably from The Leicester Mercury, showing Bill Wright with his wife arriving home at Leicester station
32. Newspaper cutting from The Leicester Mercury, 3-2-1995 with Bill Wright’s note re the 50th anniversary of his repatriation journey home (NB: not included here due to being in copyright).
33. 6 photos of Bill Wright’s war medals plus original box and associated information
34. Photo of Bill Wright’s Leicestershire (Tigers) cap badge
35. 2 photos of newspaper cutting kept by Bill Wright covering the death of L Cpl John T Woods (Jack), Bill Wright’s best friend and fellow bandsman at the Kasserine Pass 22-2-1944
36. 2 photos of Jack Woods’ grave in Tunisia plus background information
37. Stalag IXB, Bad Soden: American article on conditions at the camp hospital
38. Stalag IXB, Bad Soden: Red Cross Report on the camp hospital (Reserve Lazarett), August 1944
39. Photo of major David Charters, Scottish ophthalmic surgeon who operated on Bill Wright and others at Stalag IXB
40. William Wright, record of service 18-4-1940 to 14-9-1945Person the story/items relate to
William (Bill) WrightPerson who shared the story/items
Julie Ann WalkerRelationship between the subject of the story and its contributor
FatherType of submission
Shared at Skinners School, Kent on 15 September 2023.Record ID
125382 | SKI007
