HEANOR OBSERVER
11TH MAY 1916
A LOCAL HERO
DEATH IN ACTION OF LANCE-CORPORAL WRIGHT

The roll of our local soldier hero's who have fallen in the great struggle has been further lengthened
this week by news of the death in action of Lance-Corporal Claude Shrewsbury Wright, of the 
10th Battalion Notts and Derby's regiment, only son of Mr and Mrs John Wright of Loscoe. 
The sad tidings were not altogether unexpected, as Lance-Corpl Wright was reported missing on 
February 14th and though nothing further could be gathered during the long interval, the parents 
were hoping almost against hope that their son might possibly be a prisoner in the hands of the 
enemy, or a wounded as to be unable to communicate with them. 
On Friday last, however, he was officially reported as having been killed in action on February 14th. 
Details of place and circumstances are almost entirely missing, though Mr Wright learned from a 
soldier who took part in the fighting on that date that the Sherwood lost heavily, the section to which 
deceased was attached losing all its officers and most of the men. Those who survived in a -------- fight 
in which artillery played sad havoc were probably made prisoners, and it was hope the parents have 
cherished, though their persistent inquiries brought no trace. Evidently the authorities are satisfied he 
was amongst those who lost their lives.

Lance-Corpl Wright who was 21 years of age, enlisted voluntarily shortly after the outbreak of the war, 
joining the forces at Ilkeston in October 1914 after training at Woolworth (Dorset) and Winchester, 
he left for France in July 1915, Where he saw much of the actual frontal warfare, and should shortly 
have had a leave long overdue.
An intimation of his probable fate was contained in a letter from a soldier comrade, Harry Steeples who 
wrote to Mr and Mrs Briggs 97 Ray St Heanor uncle of deceased on March 13th as follows:

     Just a line to let you know I arrived safely in France after spending an enjoyable ten days at Heanor. 
The news I have to tell is not very grand, but if you have not heard from the war office I will tell you. 
Poor Claude was in the same do as I was on the 14 February he was either killed or taken prisoner, 
but which I cannot say I hope he is still alive if he is a prisoner, for every body liked him, he was so 
steady, and always trusted in God. He was always talking about coming home, but fate held him back, 
or perhaps he would have been at home on leave now. I hope you won't take it to hard, as I know you 
thought a lot of your dear nephew, but trust in God, he will make it all right in the end.

            Claude's sorrowing friend

            Harry Steeples

 Lance-Corpl Wright frequently wrote interesting letters to his parents, all of which reveal his interest in 
his work and his endeavour to be a good soldier in one letter he wrote:

            I am in the best of health though we are rather in a rough corner just now. We are in dug-out in 
reserve to our brigade and it happens that we are just alongside a battery of guns, and we don't half get 
shelled, I am very sorry to say that the dug-out next to mine were blown in the other night, and two of my 
pals got hit very badly and he died very shortly after it shook me up. And I thought once that our dug-out 
was going to catch it, but I heard a crash and then there were cries of "Help" I said to the chaps with me 
"let's go out and see if we can help them", but they were afraid to go, I had to go alone. When I got there 
I found the dug-out blown in on top of them, so I started to get them out, and there was soon some more 
to help me, I can tell you it was an awful job, because the shells were coming so thick and fast all round 
us, but we managed to get them out, and could see in the dark that two were badly wounded one poor 
fellow had his jaw broken, and we could see by his breathing that he would not last long. 
The other was badly hit, but I think he will get through all right. There were two more, but they were not 
scratched though it had frightened them very much. I took one down to the Doctor and gave a lift with the 
others, but I can tell you it gave me a bit of a shaking, and I shall be pleased to get out of this place.
I am very pleased to hear that Jack Turner has enlisted and got a commission. When he gets out here he 
will find that an officer is only the same as one of the men, and has some very risky work to do.

In another letter in which he acknowledges the news of his uncle's death in action, there are significant 
sentences 

      "I am sorry to hear the bad news of uncle Jim it must be very hard for aunt, but you know we 
cannot all live though it. Some of us are bound to go under, and what is there better than to die fighting 
for your King and Country.

            We all hope to come back home again"

Claud Shrewsbury Wright was later killed on 14th February 1916

The sympathy of the entire district is with Mr and Mrs Wright in their sad bereavement, in which the 
lightening gleam will ever be that their soldier lad died like a hero in his loved country cause.

Deceased was a chorister in the Heanor Parish Church choir, and a memorial service will be held on 
Sunday May 21st at 2-45pm.