Allan Wright: Difference between revisions

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===Later war service===

On 6 December 1940 Wright destroyed a Bf 109. By July 1941 Wright had received a [[Medal bar|Bar]] to his DFC. He was posted to No. 59 Operational Training Unit in July 1941. Service with [[RAF Fighter Command|Fighter Command]] HQ and as an instructor followed until being posted to [[No. 29 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF West Malling]] in March 1943, whereas a night fighter he had his last confirmed kill – a Ju 88 on 3 April. In the [[1943 Birthday Honours]], announced on 2 June, Wright received the [[King’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=36603 |page=2474|date=2 June 1943|supp=y}}</ref>

For the remainder of the war, Wright worked on training and fighter tactics. He became chief instructor at the Pilot Gunnery Instructor Wing of the Central Gunnery School based at [[RAF Sutton Bridge]] and later commanded the [[Air Fighting Development Unit]] at [[RAF Wittering]]. In early 1945, Wright was transferred to [[RAF El Bellah]] in Egypt where he commanded the fighter wing of the Middle East Advanced Bombing and Gunnery School.

British flying ace (1920–2015)

Group Captain Allan Richard Wright, DFC & Bar, AFC (12 February 1920 – 16 September 2015) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War. Wright scored 11 kills, three shared kills, five probable kills and seven damaged against the German Luftwaffe, and was one of the last surviving airmen called The Few who served in the Battle of Britain.^[1]

Early life

Allan Richard Wright was born in Teignmouth in Devon, England, on 12 February 1920. His father was an air commodore in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and would later reach the rank of acting air vice-marshal. He was schooled at St Edmund’s College, Hertfordshire, and then entered the RAF’s College at Cranwell as a flight cadet in April 1938.^[2]^[3]

Second World War

After his training was completed, in October 1939, Wright was commissioned as a pilot officer and posted to No. 92 Squadron.^[5] This unit was based at Tangmere and equipped with Bristol Blenheim heavy fighters. The following March, the squadron converted to Supermarine Spitfire fighters becoming operational with these on 9 May. It made its first sortie on 23 May, patrolling over Dunkirk. On this occasion, Wright destroyed one Messerschmitt Bf 110 heavy fighter and damaged two others. The following day, the squadron was again patrolling over Dunkirk when Wright damaged a Heinkel He 111 medium bomber. On 2 June he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter.

Battle of Britain

In mid-June No. 92 Squadron was based at Pembrey in Wales, from where it conducted convoy patrols. On 14 August, Wright shared in the destruction of a He 111 over Hullavington. Two weeks later, on the night of 29 August, he shot down a He 111 over Bristol. On 9 September, the squadron was moved to Biggin Hill, from where it would be heavily engaged in the Battle of Britain. Two days later, Wright shot down a He 111 to the east of London and probably destroyed a Bf 109 over Folkestone. He damaged a Bf 109 near Tunbridge Wells on 14 September and claimed a Bf 109 as probably destroyed over Canterbury the next day. On 19 September, he probably shot down a Junkers Ju 88 medium bomber over Dover. He destroyed a Dornier Do 17 medium bomber near Tenterden on 26 September. The next day he was appointed a flight commander in the squadron. During the course of that day, he shot down a Ju 88 and damaged two more, shared in the destruction of a He 111 and damaged a Do 17, all in the vicinity of Sevenoaks. On 30 September, he destroyed two Bf 109s, one near Redhill and the other over the English Channel. In a subsequent sortie that day, his Spitfire was damaged in an engagement with a Bf 109 and, slightly wounded, Wright made a crash landing at Shoreham. His injuries, which were cannon splinters in his legs, required treatment at Southlands Hospital. In recognition of his successes over the previous months, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).^[2] The citation, published in The London Gazette on 22 October, read:

One night in August 1940, this officer displayed great determination and skill in destroying a Heinkel 111, under difficult conditions. Pilot Officer Wright has consistently shown a keen desire to engage the enemy on all occasions. He has brought down a total of four enemy aircraft and has badly damaged four more.

— London Gazette, No. 34976, 22 October 1940^[7]

Later war service

On 6 December 1940 Wright destroyed a Bf 109. By July 1941 Wright had received a Bar to his DFC. He was posted to No. 59 Operational Training Unit in July 1941. He was promoted to flight lieutenant in October.^[8] Service with Fighter Command HQ and as an instructor followed until being posted to No. 29 Squadron RAF at RAF West Malling in March 1943, whereas a night fighter he had his last confirmed kill – a Ju 88 on 3 April. In the 1943 Birthday Honours, announced on 2 June, Wright received the King’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air.^[9]

For the remainder of the war, Wright worked on training and fighter tactics. He became chief instructor at the Pilot Gunnery Instructor Wing of the Central Gunnery School based at RAF Sutton Bridge and later commanded the Air Fighting Development Unit at RAF Wittering. In early 1945, Wright was transferred to RAF El Bellah in Egypt where he commanded the fighter wing of the Middle East Advanced Bombing and Gunnery School.

Postwar service

Remaining in the RAF post-war, Wright served at the Air Ministry for a time. A later posting, once he qualified on jet fighters, was wing leader at Waterbeach. Towards the end of his career he commanded a Ballistic Missile Early Warning Station in Yorkshire.^[2] He retired as a group captain on 12 February 1967.^[10]

Later life

Wright retired to North Devon and took up farming. He died on 16 September 2015 at Bradworthy in Devon.^[2]^[3] He is credited with having shot down fourteen aircraft, three of which were shared with other pilots, and seven more damaged. He is also credited with the probable destruction of five aircraft.

Notes

References

Rawlings, John (1976). Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: MacDonald & James. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
Shores, Christopher; Williams, Clive (1994). Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. London: Grub Street. ISBN 1-8-9869-7000.