The interesting and emotive Second World War Meteorological Flight Hudson Navigator’s 1944 New Years Honours Air Force Cross and subsequent ‘late claim’ campaign medal group awarded to Flight Lieutenant D.A. Wright, A.F.C., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. From Fulham, London, he enlisted in 1939, and flew as a navigator with Coastal Command on anti-submarine sorties over the Atlantic, with him and his captain being credited with one, and possibly two U-Boats sunk, this being prior to his being commissioned in July 1942. Wright then continued as a navigator flying in Hudson’s with the Meteorological Flight, and on one occasion his Hudson drove off a German four-engined Condor that was in the process of preparing to attack a convoy. Wright, who complete some 640 hours of Meteorological Flying, would however be quoted as saying: “we were in contact with perhaps the most formidable of all enemies of a pilot - ice and cold.” His award of the Air Force Cross was subsequently gazetted on 1 January 1944, being subsequently presented to him by His Majesty King George VI during an investiture held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Post war he flew as a navigator in civil aviation, but was ‘additional crew’ aboard a Argentinian FAMA Airways Lancastrian aircraft, flying from South Africa via Natal in Brazil and on to London, when he was killed in an air crash on 10 June 1947. The aircraft, in which five were killed, ‘was coming in to land at Natal, Brazil, when it took a left turn over the airport buildings and broke in two.’ The crew compartment bore the brunt of the crash.
Group of 5: Air Force Cross, A.F.C., GVI GRI 1st type cypher, reverse officially dated: 1944, on original issue ribbon and wearing pin, and housed in its Royal Mint fitted presentation case; 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence Medal; War Medal, later four all housed in their recent issue individual plastic boxes, each bearing the label giving details for: ‘FLT LT D A WRIGHT 131653’, and together with the Under-Secretary of State for Defence (Armed Forces) recent issue award slip, this confirming entitlement.
Condition: Extremely Fine.
Together with the following small collection of newspaper cuttings:
Titled a follows:
1) ‘A.F.C. for Fulham Officer’, detailing his award and some biographical details.
2) ‘A.F.C. for Fulham Officer’, this similar to the above but with less content.
3) ‘Decorated by The King’, this noting that he had attended an investiture held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
4) An untitled article giving details of his service and award.
Donald Albert Wright was born on 4 August 1918 in Fulham, London, the second son of Arthur and Bertha Amy Wright, his father being a police officer with the London Metropolitan Police, who became the assistant-gaoler at West London Police Court. He was educated at Sir Walter St. John’s School in Battersea. The family lived at 102 Lanthorne Street in 1921, and by the outbreak of the Second World War were located at 54 Finlay Street in Battersea, with Wright being then shown as employed as a clerk, and working for Weatherby’s, secretaries to the Jockey Club. He was also apparently well known locally as a chorister at All Saints’, the Fulham Parish Church.
Wright originally enlisted into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in January 1939, and was mobilised on the outbreak of the Second World War, and then flew operationally as a navigator with Coastal Command, and ‘took part in numerous attacks on U-Boats in the Atlantic’. He was serving as a Flight Sergeant (No.745045) when he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer (No.131652 - not as shown on boxes as 131653) into the General Duties Branch of the R.A.F.V.R on 29 July 1942, being promoted to Flying Officer on 29 January 1943. He continued his duties as a navigating officer.
‘When he was attached to the Meteorological Flight, he still helped in the search for enemy submarines and aircraft. While flying on “Met”duties he and his captain were credited with having probably sunk one U-Boat and possibly destroyed a second, and on another occasion, when in a Hudson, they drove off a four-engined Condor which was preparing to attack shipping in the Atlantic. Bearing it off without damage to themselves, they carried on with a flight over the Arctic.’ Wright was later quoted in the paper as saying: “Although we did little in the way of operational sorties in the Meteorological Flight, we were in contact with perhaps the most formidable of all enemies of a pilot - ice and cold.”
Wright was awarded the Air Force Cross in the New Years Honours List as published in the London Gazette for 1 January 1944. Whilst a full citation is not available, the newspapers fill in the blanks. At the time of thee recommendation for his award, he had completed some 640 hours of Meteorological Flying, in addition to ‘outstanding successes while engaged with Coastal Command on anti-submarine patrols.’ One article reads: ‘He took part in numerous attacks on U-Boats in the Atlantic. While flying on “Met” duties, he and his captain were credited with having sunk one U-Boat and possibly destroyed a second and on another occasion, when in a Hudson they drove off a four-engined Condor, which was preparing to attack shipping in the Atlantic.’
Wright was invested with his award by His Majesty King George VI during an investiture held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Immediately post-war, Wright who had ultimately been promoted to Flight Lieutenant, then entered the Cilvil Aviation industry as a navigator flying for FAMA (Flota Aerea Mercante Argentina). On 10 June 1947 he was travelling as additional crew in a Lancastrian during a flight that departed South Africa, and was scheduled to fly via Natal in Brazil and on to London. According to the Fulham Chronicle, the aircraft ‘was coming in to land at Natal, Brazil, when it took a left turn over the airport buildings and broke in two. The crew’s compartment - Mr. Wright was travelling as additional crew - bore the brunt of the crash. Of the five victims, only two were passengers.’ He was then aged 28.
