The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (4578) Private Percy Wright, 3rd Battalion Infantry, First World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Nicholas Schmidt, the story for this day was on (4578) Private Percy Wright, 3rd Battalion Infantry, First World War.

4578 Private Percy Wright, 3rd Battalion Infantry
KIA 17 August 1916
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 20 June 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Percy Wright of the 3rd Battalion infantry.

Percy Wright was born in Stannum, New South Wales, the second of four sons of Frank and Minnie Wright. He worked as a clerk and book keeper for Harry White Ltd and was considered a bright and popular young man. Wright enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 14 August 1915. As he was just under 21 his father signed a consent form allowing him to enlist.

Wright left from Sydney on RMS Osterley in mid-January 1916 with the 14th reinforcements to the 3rd Battalion. After a short period in Egypt, he arrived in Marseilles and spent two months training in France before joining his battalion in the field and being promoted to acting corporal in June.

On 25 July 1916 the 3rd Battalion was involved in the successful capture of the French village of Pozières. They were rotated out of the line, but remained in the area. In August the 1st Australian Infantry Brigade, of which the 3rd Battalion was a part, was bivouacked relatively close to the front line. Some of the men underwent training while others made visits to the front line to familiarise themselves with the conditions.

Lance Corporal Wright was one of the men who went forward. He was part of a five-man patrol near Mouquet Farm, north of Pozières. While in an observation post fashioned from a captured German gun pit he was killed by a shell that exploded overhead. Some of the foremost parts of the 3rd Battalion line had come under fire from Australian and British artillery, and it may be that Wright was killed by friendly fire. His body was later wrapped in a blanket by a comrade and he was buried where he fell. Only one member of his patrol survived.

Wright’s father, Frank, enlisted in the AIF on 29 July 1916 and around the time of his son’s death was training in camp. He was discharged in December and did not serve overseas. Percy Wright’s grave was lost in subsequent fighting and his final resting place is unknown today. His name is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, and is listed here on the Roll of Honour to my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial’s collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Percy Wright and all of the Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.