Francis Ernest Wright

Commander (retired) Francis Ernest Wright (10 January, 1888 – ) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Wright entered the Navy direct from Worcester, gaining one and a half months' time. He was appointed to the pre-dreadnought Duncan in the Mediterranean on 15 September, 1904. At the end of the year, he would go to Cæsar, in the Channel, where he would served for 18 months.

Wright was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 27 March, 1911. To this point in his naval career, Wright had served only in larger ships where he had not much impressed his superiors. Some early evaluators were disappointed enough to use phrases such as "dull", "not brilliant', "lacking in intelligence", but this trend softened over his career. By 1912, aspersions disappeared, replaced by mild praise. His fortunes proved better than might be expected, however, as he would hold some coveted torpedo craft appointments during the war.

In March of 1913, Wright was appointed to the destroyer Cockatrice, the become her first lieutenant upon her commissioning. She joined the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla and served in Home and Atlantic Waters once the war broke out. In May 1915, Wright was appointed in command of the "oily wad" T.B. 6.

Wright performed valuable services when the Dutch vessel Bandoeng was mined on 15 February, 1916. On 1 August, 1916, he left T.B. 6 for a command appointment in Arun. After three and a half months there, he was put in command of Sandfly.

Wright was appointed in command of the destroyer Tarpon on 9 March, 1918. On 15 June, she collided in a dock in Immingham. A Court of Enquiry convened on 30 July determined that Wright should exercise greater care in future.

Post-War

Wright was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 27 March, 1919.

Wright was appointed to Malcolm as executive officer on 16 July, 1928.

Wright was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Commander on 30 October, 1929.

World War II

In August of 1939, Wright was called up for N.C.S. duties at Haifa. Declared unfit for general service in 1941 due to vision problems, Wright would perform a variety of shore-based services throughout the war and be reverted to the Retired List on 21 August, 1945.

See Also

• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Albert E. Dixie	Captain of H.M. T.B. 6 6 May, 1915 – 1 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Harold P. Keeley
Preceded by George A. Scott	Captain of H.M.S. Arun 1 Aug, 1916 – 18 Nov, 1916	Succeeded by Frederick B. Noble
Preceded by Henry R. James	Captain of H.M.S. Sandfly 18 Nov, 1916 – 12 Feb, 1918	Succeeded by Edward H. Dauglish
Preceded by Edward O. Tudor	Captain of H.M.S. Tarpon 9 Mar, 1918 – 20 Jan, 1921	Succeeded by Philip J. Mack
Preceded by Francis Howard	Captain of H.M.S. Restless Aug, 1921 – 10 Feb, 1922	Succeeded by Percy R. P. Percival
Preceded by Percy R. P. Percival	Captain of H.M.S. Romola 10 Feb, 1922 – 29 Jan, 1924	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Joseph H. L. Yorke	Captain of H.M.S. Violent 11 Mar, 1924 – 24 Apr, 1925	Succeeded by Lionel V. Lloyd