John Frank Wright (1920 - 1943)

Born Nov 1920 in West Ham, London, England

Ancestors

Died 11 Apr 1943 at age 22 in HMS Beverley - North Atlantic

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Thomas Heath [send private message]

Biography

• Wikitree Roll of Honor
• Killed in Action
  

  Jack Wright was Killed in Action during World War II.

Crew of the HMS Beverley - Sunk North Atlantic 11 April 1943

John Frank Wright was obviously continuing a long standing Howes family tradition of service, particularly at sea. He paid the ultimate price that service demands on 11 April 1943 at the all too young age of 22.^[1]

Crew list of Ships hit by U-boats

John Frank Wright RN (P/JX 289415). British Born 1920 Died 11 Apr 1943 (23)

Roster information listed for John Frank Wright

Ship Type Rank / role Attacked on Boat HMS Beverley (H 64) Destroyer Leading Seaman 11 Apr 1943 (+) U-188

Personal information Son of George Shirley and Malyann Matilda Wright, of Laindon, Essex.

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HMS Beverley (H 64) Destroyer of the Town class

Photo courtesy of David Silk

Navy The Royal Navy Type Destroyer Class Town Pennant H 64 Built by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia, U.S.A.) Ordered Laid down 25 Oct 1918 Launched 19 Apr 1919 Commissioned 9 Oct 1940 Lost 11 Apr 1943 Loss position 52° 19'N, 40° 28'W

History On 9 April 1943 HMS Beverley had been seriously damaged in a collision with the British steam merchant Cairnvalona (4929 tons) and took station in the rear of the convoy, until she was torpedoed some 30 hours later.

At 05.49 hours on 11 April 1943 the German submarine U-188 fired a torpedo at the convoy ON-176 southwest of Iceland and observed a hit on a tanker after 1 minute 34 seconds, which finally sank after 45 miuntes with a broken back. At 05.50 hours, two torpedoes were fired and after 1 minute 58 seconds and 2 minutes 11 seconds hits on two ships were heard. At 05.52 hours again two torpedoes were fired, which hit a fourth ship after 1 minute 58 seconds and began to settle by the bow. However, Allied records indicate that only HMS Beverley (Lt.Cdr. Rodney Athelstan Price, RN) was hit and sunk at that time in position 52º19'N, 40º28'W. There were only 4 survivors out of a crew of 155.

Hit by U-boat Sunk on 11 Apr 1943 by U-188 (Lüdden).

U-boat Attack See our U-boat attack entry for the HMS Beverley Former name USS Branch (DD 197)

Commands listed for HMS Beverley (H 64)

Commander From To 1 Cdr. (retired) Edmund Francis Fitzgerald, RN Oct 1940 28 Jan 1941 2 Lt.Cdr. John Grant, RN 28 Jan 1941 4 Jul 1942 3 Lt. Rodney Athelstan Price, RN 4 Jul 1942 11 Apr 1943 (+)

Notable events involving Beverley include:

4 Feb 1943 German U-boat U-187 was sunk in the North Atlantic, in position 50°12'N, 36°35'W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Vimy (Lt.Cdr. R.B. Stannart, VC, RNR) and HMS Beverley (Lt.Cdr. R.A Price, RN).

7 Mar 1943 HMS Beverley (Lt.Cdr. R.A Price, RN) picks up 5 survivors from the British merchant Empire Light that was torpedoed and damaged by German U-boat U-638 southwest of Cape Farewell. The abandoned Empire Light was finally sunk on 12 March by German U-boat U-468 in position 53°57'N, 46°14'W. ^[2]

Memorial to John Frank Wright situated at the Portsmouth Naval Memorial^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Observation of Thomas Heath - 2nd cousin of John Frank Wright
2. ↑ uboat.net
3. ↑ CWGC - John Frank Wright