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Hugh Wright was an apprentice with Corbets (Civil Engineers) of Bluevale Street, Glasgow.
He became a draughtsman.
He served during the war initially with the 51st Highland Division and then 49th Infantry Division Royal Engineers, Service No. 2003820.
Hugh was garrisoned on Iceland during the early years of World War Two.
It is likely that the 49th Division initially sailed to Iceland on 22 June 1940 from Glasgow on the transport ship Andes and remained there until 26 August 1942.
According to Hugh's military records he was posted to Headquarters Royal Engineers Operations Iceland on 25 July 1941 until 11 April 1942 when he was posted to 49th Divisional Royal Engineers.
Known as the "Polar Bears" they returned and quartered to Ross on Wye in England.
He went over to France in the afternoon of the 6 June 1944, landing in Normandy on Gold Beach.
The Division was under the command of Major General Evelyn Barker.
Until the Germans surrendered in May 1945, the Division was almost continually in action.
The first full scale Divisional assault carried out by the 49th Division was at Cristot, the capture and holding of Tessel Wood during the battle of Fontenay Le Pesnil, and the capture of Le Harve were the outstanding actions of the Division in France.
The severest fighting took place during the autumn and winter of 1944 in the Low Countries of Belgium and Holland.
Four months of cold wet weather was spent in close contact with the Germans near Nijmegan.
It was October 1944 the Division entered Holland taking part in the Battle of the River Scheldt and remained in operations in that country until the end of the war when they joined the occupation forces in Germany.
On 20 October 1944 the 49th Division were involved in Operation Rebound whereby 3 different Task Forces would capture and secure the area near the Belgian and Dutch border to repulse the Germans, since they blocked the northern approaches to the Port of Antwerp.
The 49th Division attacked the St. Lenaerts and Leonhout in order to secure the Leonhout and Wuustwezel areas.
Hugh died in the service of his country in Limburg, Belgium.
He is buried in Grave Plot V, Row A, Grave No. 12 at Leopoldsburg War Cemetery, Leopoldsburg, Limburg, Belgium.
Reverend German conducted the funeral service.
The message on Hugh Wright's grave ~
BELOVED ONLY SON OF MARY
AND THE LATE DAVID WRIGHT
DENNISTOUN, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
A memorial dedicated on 6 November 1949 in Back Friers Church, Whitehill Street, Dennistoun, has Hugh's name and other church members killed in the war.
Below is a summary of Hugh's military service kindly provided by the Ministry of Defense.
Deemed to have been enlisted into the Royal Engineers embodied Territorial Army and posted to 9 Divisional......5 March 1940.
Trade Tested as a Draughtsman......5 March 1940.
Posted to 274 Field Company......17 July 1940.
Posted to Headquarters 51 Divisional Royal Engineers......11 February 1941.
Posted to B Company 2 Depot Battalion......19 July 1941.
Posted to Headquarters Royal Engineers Operations Iceland Force......25 July 1941.
Posted to Headquarters 49 Divisional Royal Engineers......11 April 1942
Appointed Acting Lance Corporal......29 December 1943.
Killed in action......21 October 1944.
Service with Colours 5 March 1940 to 21 October 1944.
Overseas service:
Iceland......21 July 1941 to 11 April 1942.
North West Europe......4 June 1944 to 21 October 1944.
Medals issued:
1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defense Medal, and War Medal 1939-45.
Description:
Height 5 feet 8 1/2 inches, weight 134 1/2 lbs, eyes blue and hair brown.

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