WALTER CHARLES ‘JOKER’ WRIGHT

Born

On 28 November 1920 at Latrobe

Connection to South Riana

Lived in South Riana.

Parents

Walter James WRIGHT and Margaret Mary CONNOLLY who were married at Wivenhoe on 17 March 1920.

Siblings

Pearl Grace 1922 –2014

Claude Edward 1923 – 1983

George Arthur 1924 – 1997

Ethel Margaret 1925 – 2009

Freda 1926 – still living

Hedley John 1927 – 1986

Alice Christina 1930 – 2009

Jack 1931 – 2020

Dale 1938 – 1983

Married

Lilian WRIGHT (1919 – 2014) in Elsternwick, Victoria on 20 May 1944.

Family

Lionel 1946

Suzanne 1949

Died

21 October 2008 at Smithton and is buried at Circular Head Lawn Cemetery with his wife.

Military Records

He enlisted at Brighton Tas in Jan 1940 with the 6 Garrison Btn at 19 ½ years of age. Promoted to L/Cpl in March 1940, in April he was in hospital with appendicitis, in August with Measles and Lumbago and September with Mumps. In November of the same year he was charged with the crime of “…conduct to the prejudice of good order and Military Discipline in that he  stole one (1) pair of gaiters belonging  to (…a fellow soldier..) to correct a deficiency in his own kit” and was fined £1. He was discharged in November 1940 as being ‘medically unfit’.

In July 1941 he re-enlisted at Burnie and was given the Service number TX5573 with the 2/40th Battalion. He was a single labourer on enlistment but married during his service. His next of kin was his father James Wright of Smithton, which was changed to his wife living at 157 Gertrude St Yan Yean in Victoria.  He trained at Brighton and admitted to III General Hospital in August 1941 with an abscess. He was with the 2/12 Inf Btn between June 1942 and March 1943 in New Guinea where he received a GSW in his right arm in Jan 43 and then a Skull Fracture in Feb 1943 He served 195 days abroad and 448 in Australia. On discharge – 17 January 1944 – he was a Corporal in the 2/12 Aust Inf, almost 5’5” with blue eyes and dark hair aged 23.

Military photograph courtesy of son Lionel Wright.