Eric William Wright
| Eric William Wright | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Ricky Wright |
| Born |
21 September 1919 Cherry Hinton, Cambridge |
| Died | 5 November 2007 (aged 88) |
| Allegiance | United KIngdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1939–1973 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Commands held |
RAF Cottesmore (1964–65) RAF Coningsby (1963–64) RAF North Coates (1958–59) No. 54 Squadron (1948–49) No. 92 Squadron (1947) No. 91 Squadron (1946–47) No. 605 Squadron (1942) No. 232 Squadron (1942) |
| Battles/wars | Suez Crisis |
| Awards |
Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Flying Cross Distinguished Flying Medal King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air Air Efficiency Award |
| Spouse(s) | Katherine Skingley (1946–2007) |
Air Commodore Eric William "Ricky" Wright CBE, DFC, DFM, AE (21 September 1919 – 5 November 2007) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force who flew Hurricanes with No. 605 Squadron in the Battle of Britain.
He was educated at Cambridge County School and the Technical College. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in June 1939 and was called up when he had completed his training as a pilot. Once he had completed his training as a pilot he was called up into the regular air force
Wright joined No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron in July 1940, and saw action during the Battle of Britain. In early September he shared in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf 110 and a Dornier 17. On 15 September Wright shot down a Dornier 17 over Maidstone.
By the end of the year he had accounted for six enemy aircraft, probably destroyed three more and damaged six. At the end of November he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal. As a sergeant pilot he was granted a commission as a pilot officer on probation on 18 December 1940.
Wright was posted to the Far East in 1941, as a flight commander in No. 232 Squadron. After the Japanese attacks on Malaya the squadron reinforced the defences at Singapore at the end of January 1942. Within a week Wright's commanding officer had been killed and Wright was promoted to squadron leader. He claimed a Japanese bomber damaged off the coast of Singapore. The squadron soon evacuated to Sumatra and then to Java. In March Wright was ordered to take his remaining pilots to Tjilatjap, ready to board a boat for Australia. On arrival however, the last boat had been sunk, and when the island fell to the Japanese a few days later Wright and his pilots were made prisoners of war.
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