Charles Wright

Story:
Charles Wright was born in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 15 Mar 1871 the son of Charles Wright and Hannah Wright (nee Lodge).  He lived all his early life in the family home at Barton Hill, Shaftesbury.  He had joined the 12th Lancers as a Trooper on 15 Jul 1892 having previously served as a Territorial with the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 3531). He was discharged after completing his engagement on 11 Jul 1899 but swiftly recalled on 9 Oct 1899 and posted to South Africa where he was eventually awarded the Queens South Africa Medal with three clasps and the Kings South Africa Medal. He was finally placed on reserve on 11 Jul 1904.  He had married Ada Caroline Rideout at Compton Abbas, Shaftesbury, Dorset, on 2 Oct 1899 and they went on to have three children.  By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at 5 Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, working as a Groom.  He was called out of reserved on 19 Apr 1915 and initially joined the 4th Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment (Service No. 5262) but within days was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps as a Private (Service No. 8709).  He served his time in the UK only with, amongst others, the 263rd Protection Company and was finally discharged on 22 Feb 1919.  There are no medal records evident in this case.  Both the 1921 Census and the 1939 Register show he was still living at 5 Parsons Pool, Shaftesbury, Dorset, ultimately working as a Dried Milk Powder Packer.  His death was recorded at the Sturminster, Dorset, Registry in 1943.