A Memorial Cross To Private Wright; 1St Tunnelling Company; Kia At The Battle Of The Scarpe

A Memorial Cross to Private Wright; 1st Tunnelling Company, 21st Infantry Battalion, KIA during the Battle of the Scarpe; George V (501254 Pte. E. WRIGHT). Naming is engraved. Sterling silver, marked "STERLING" and maker marked with the Caron Brothers of Montreal insignia on the reverse, replacement ribbon, semi-dark patina, light contact, better than very fine.

Footnote: Edward Wright was born on November 18, 1893 in Darlington, Ontario, the son of George Wright and Annie Wright, the family later moving to Oshawa, Ontario. He was a resident of Oshawa when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (501254) with the 1st Tunnelling Company, on November 9, 1915 at the Toronto Recruiting Centre in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 22, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Annie Wright of Oshawa, stating that he had no previous military service, that he was not married, that his religion was Methodist and that his trade was that of Moulder. He later went overseas, where he was transferred to the 21st Infantry Battalion. 501254 Private Edward Wright, 21st Infantry Battalion was Killed in Action on August 27, 1918 during the Battle of the Scarpe, part of the Hundred Days Offensive, at the age of 28. The Battle of the Scarpe took place over a three day period, from August 26th to the 28th. The Canadian Corps advanced over five kilometers and captured the towns of Monchy-le-Preux and Wancourt on the 26th. Heavy rains during the night resulted in slippery ground, difficulties in assembling troops and late starts for the assaults on August 27th. Stiff resistance from the Germans and their heavily defended positions limited gains to around three kilometers that day, with Private Wright becoming a casualty. Private Edward Wright is remembered with honour on the Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France. At the base of the memorial, these words appear in French and in English: "TO THE VALOUR OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN MEMORY OF THEIR SIXTY THOUSAND DEAD THIS MONUMENT IS RAISED BY THE PEOPLE OF CANADA." Inscribed on the ramparts of the Vimy Memorial are the names of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers who were posted as "'missing, presumed dead" in France. He is commemorated on page 526 of the First World War Book of Remembrance and is remember with honour on a plaque on the Oshawa War Memorial, on the far right column, sixth name from the top. The Memorial was constructed in 1924 and was initially named "The Garden of the Unforgotten". This elaborate memorial was set with stones from each Great War Allied Nation and from the battlefields where Canadians fought. A pair of electric torches were to remain burning, and a copper time capsule box with artifacts from 1924 was buried under the memorial. In 2002, the Memorial Park was redeveloped and today the park incorporates beautiful gardens. A plaque explaining the redevelopment states: "Memorial Park is regarded as hallowed ground for quiet meditation, the enjoyment of music, and especially for honouring our men and women who served in armed conflicts".