Description
1914-1915 Star, impressed to “489 PTE T.G. WRIGHT. 12/L.H. RGT. A.I.F.”
British War Medal, impressed to “489 T/SJT T.G WRIGHT. 12 L H RGT A.I.F.”
Victory Medal, impressed to “489 T-SJT. T.G. WRIGHT. 12 L.H.R. A.I.F.”
Born in 1889 in the town of Delegate, New South Wales, Theodore George Wright, the son of Mr Arthur Henry Wright, was a grazier by trade at the time of his attestation for the Australian Imperial Force for service overseas during the Great War, enlisting on the 19th February 1915 at Liverpool, New South Wales as Private 489 of the 12th Light Horse Regiment. Wright was posted to the Light Horse Training Depot before embarking with the 12th L.H.R. at Sydney aboard H.M.A.T. A29 ‘Suevic’ on the 13th June 1915 for Gallipoli.
Disembarking on the 25th August 1915 amidst the closing chapter of the ANZAC Campaign, the August Offensive, Wright spent the following few months with the ‘D’ Squadron, 6th Light Horse Regiment before evacuating with the rest of the Australian Forces to Egypt, disembarking at Alexandria via H.M.T. ‘Anchisis’ on the 26th December. He officially transferred back to the 12th LHR on the 22nd February. Throughout 1916 and the first half of 1917, Wright served in Egypt with the 12th L.H.R. although frequently visited hospital, first to the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis on the 3rd March 1916 with Pleurisy, again to the 3rd Australian G.H. at Ras-El-Bar on the 27th March, later on the 5th June with a leg ulcer, and finally to the 14th Australian G.H. on the 13th June 1917 with Onychia. Prior to this last hospital visit, Wright was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 14th March 1917, and following his discharge from the 14th Australian G.H. was transferred to the Moascar military camp on the 26th July for recovery and training with the 4th L.H. Training Regiment.
On the 13th August 1917, Theodore Wright transferred back to the ‘C’ Squadron, 12th Light Horse Regiment, and marched out to his unit who were situated in Southern Palestine, continuing the British-Egyptian Expeditionary Force’s efforts against the Ottoman Army. Wright was on strength with his regiment in October 1917, which saw the 12th L.H.R.’s next major action, the organized attack towards the Jerusalem to Jaffa enemy line and the celebrated Charge of Beersheba.
“At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man – they were an awe-inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze – knee to knee and horse to horse – the dying sun glinting on bayonet points…”
Trooper 358 Ion Llewellyn Idriess, 5th Light Horse Regiment
Australian historian Henry Gullett explains, the Light Horse’s charge of Beersheba was spearheaded by the 4th Light Horse Regiment with squadrons of the 12th behind, forming a front of three lines 300-500 yards apart. The 4th L.H.R., with bayonets in hand, lead a pure cavalry charge of 6600 yards, advancing with such swiftness, in conjunction with supporting artillery fire, that casualties were limited despite the heavy rifle, machine gun fire and bombardment they received. Although some of the 12th L.H.R. dismounted to join the 4th in the enemy trenches, including both ‘B’ and ‘C’ Squadron commanders, many remained mounted and continued around to the city, led by Captains Rodney Keith Robey of ‘B’ Squadron and Jack Rupert Cyril Davies of ‘C’ Squadron. Davies led the men of ‘C’ Squadron through the main street of Beersheba, meeting ‘B’ Squadron on the northern outskirts where they captured an Ottoman column attempting to flee, then moved to the eastern trenches and captured 60 Ottoman men trying to escape. In total, the Australians captured 1,148 prisoners, 10 field guns, four machine guns, and, more importantly, they secured over 400,000 litres of water.
Wright remained on strength with the 12th Light Horse Regiment throughout 1918 and 1919, serving within Egypt and Palestine during the later actions of the First World War. On the 6th January 1918 he served as temporary corporal in place of Corporal 465 Clifford Markwell, and on the 18th April returned to the 4th Light Horse Training Regiment at Moascar. The following year, Wright was made temporary Sergeant on the 2nd January and for the following few months of 1919 served with the 12th, presumably in their role in supressing the 1919 Egyptian Uprising in the Ismailia area, until he was admitted to hospital on the 25th May. Wright was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital on the 6th June dangerously ill, later considered unfit for service and sent home, embarking at Suez for Australia on the 17th July aboard S.S. ‘Dunluce Castle’ after his condition improved.
A fine Great War Trio to the 12th Light Horse that was on strength at the time of their celebrated Charge of Beersheba – this action which should be the cornerstone of Australian historical military identity, in place of the failed Gallipoli Campaign – Gallipoli was a British-led defeat, Beersheba was an Australian-led victory. Medals well preserved, Extremely Fine.
In recent times, similar WWI groups to those likely chargers have sold: a WWI Trio to Private Roy Charles Dennis sold for the equivalent of AUD$5835.44, and a WWI Pair to Morgan Scannell for the equivalent of AUD$2693.28 – each group was sold through Noonans as part of the Warwick Cary collection and would hold some premium due to the pedigree.