I am trying to find out more about My father (Edward Henry George Wright, born in Stoke Newington, Hackney on Feb 14 1915) he was in the "Queens Own Buffs" in 1933 and was originally based in Canterbury, he lived in Westerham, Kent then. He was sent to the middle east on missions and tours of duty for some years. He did tell me when I was small that he used to either turn the page in the cathedral(Canterbury)either every morning or just once a week, for which he was very proud as he was of his service to the king and later queen and country. Whilst in the Middle East he said he was in Lucknow, Palestine & India and Burma, Egypt & Cairo. He didn't say very much about what happened to him in the middle east but my mother told me that in the dessert in 1939 he was manning a Bren Gun on a truck and the truck/jeep was blown up for which he received life changing and almost fatal injuries. The officer in charge had apparently taken the same route as they had before and my dad was aware that you don't take the same route twice and got told off for mentioning it. My Dad was also in the Corp of Drums and as well as the drums he invariably bugled the last post. My Dad also took me to the Museum near the Cathedral at Canterbury as he wanted to show me the displays there and some of his equipment that had been on show, for example one of the Boots he had been wearing from the accident but when we got there his 'stuff' had been archived and they didn't know where it was which we haven't been able to locate. I have searched and searched and I cannot find his name mentioned anywhere or and his army records or indeed any affirmation that his unit was even in the middle east, I do however have remember seeing a small maroon coloured card that entitled him to wear civilian clothes on leave, he also told us he was a Chelsea pensioner but as my mum was still alive he couldn't take up residence. Not confirmed though, does anyone know where I can find out more, please.
Sorry it has taken so long to respond. The service records of those who served in WW2 are not yet in the public domain. However as a next of kin you can apply for a copy of the service records from
Army Personnel Centre
Kentigern House
65 Brown Street
Glasgow
G2 8EX
T: 0141 248 7890
It may be an idea to ring them first, you will find them very helpful.
Best regards
