Peter Harold Wright
Company Sergeant-Major, 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards
- Register No.
- 1333 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Company Sergeant-Major (register: Company Sergeant Major) all Company Sergeant-Majors →
- Unit
- 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards all Coldstream Guards VCs →
- Date of action
- 25 September 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 7th September 1944 on this day → all of 1944 →
- Born
- 10th August 1916 at Mettingham, Bungay, Suffolk
- Died
- 5th April 1990 at Ipswich, Suffolk
- Memorial / grave
- at All Saints Churchyard, Ashbocking, Suffolk and Helmingham Parish Church, Suffolk
Digest of citation
In Italy on 20th September 1943, during an assault on a steep wooded hill near Salerno, Italy, the right handed company was stopped by heavy mortar and Spandau fire, causing all the officers to become casualties. Company Sergeant-Major Wright, after seeing that there were no officers left, took charge and crawled forward by himself to examine the situation. Three Spandaus were blocking their advance. Placing a section where it could give covering fire, he single-handedly attacked each post in turn, and using hand-grenades and bayonet silenced them. On leading his company to the crest he realised that enemy fire made this position indefensible, so he led them a short distance down the hill and approached the objective from a different direction. In spite of the very heavy fire, CSM Wright, using the remainder of his company, deployed them to consolidate the position. They successfully beat off a counter-attack by the enemy and CSM Wright, in spite of heavy shell and machine-gun fire, around Company H Q., and slopes, he fetched and distributed ammunition to the company
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
WRIGHT, Peter Harold. (reg No. 1333).
Company Sergeant-Major. 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards.
London Gazetted on 7th September 1944.
Born on 10th August 1916 at Mettingham, Bungay, Suffolk.
Died on 5th April 1990 at Ipswich, Suffolk.
Memorial on grave at All Saints Churchyard, Ashbocking, Suffolk and Helmingham Parish Church, Suffolk.
Digest of Citation reads:. In Italy on 20th September 1943, during an assault on a steep wooded hill near Salerno, Italy, the right handed company was stopped by heavy mortar and Spandau fire, causing all the officers to become casualties. Company Sergeant-Major Wright, after seeing that there were no officers left, took charge and crawled forward by himself to examine the situation. Three Spandaus were blocking their advance. Placing a section where it could give covering fire, he single-handedly attacked each post in turn, and using hand-grenades and bayonet silenced them. On leading his company to the crest he realised that enemy fire made this position indefensible, so he led them a short distance down the hill and approached the objective from a different direction. In spite of the very heavy fire, CSM Wright, using the remainder of his company, deployed them to consolidate the position. They successfully beat off a counter-attack by the enemy and CSM Wright, in spite of heavy shell and machine-gun fire, around Company H Q., and slopes, he fetched and distributed ammunition to the company.
Additional information:. In the London Gazette on 27th January 1944, CSM Wright was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), however, this Decoration was cancelled and, on the instruction of King George VI, it was upgraded to the Victoria Cross on 7th September 1944.
Additional information
In the London Gazette on 27th January 1944, CSM Wright was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), however, this Decoration was cancelled and, on the instruction of King George VI, it was upgraded to the Victoria Cross on 7th September 1944.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at All Saints Churchyard, Ashbocking, Suffolk and Helmingham Parish Church, Suffolk
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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