Description
Ashantee 1873-4, Surgeon Major Thomas William Wright, LRCP Ed, LRCSI, Honorary Brigade Surgeon, served 1864-1882.
Officially engraved: “SURGEON, T. W. WRIGHT, 1873-4”
Confirmed on the medal roll, issued to him at Glenbrook, in Passage West, County Cork, Ireland.
Thomas first received his medical education being Licensed Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland during 1862.
Going over to Scotland, he was Licensed Royal College of Physicians at Edinburgh during 1864, seeing entry in the Army as an Assistant Surgeon, seeing the unusual appointment of being sent over to Africa, joining the African Medical Service.
Appointments and Promotions:
Assistant Surgeon, 24th September 1864 (From Gentlemen to Staff Assistant Surgeon)
Surgeon, 1st March 1873
Surgeon Major 3rd August 1874
Retired on Half Pay, 11th June 1882.
Thomas saw entry into the “African Medical Service” on their small staff of Doctors in 1865 and was serving with them at the time of the Ashantee War, whereas most men were being lent from the Army Medical Department and brought in to help.
By the time of the Ashantee War, Thomas had been an Assistant Surgeon for about 9 years, having been advanced to Surgeon, he served in the war from 1873, and was almost immediately advanced once again after the end of the war in August 1874 to Surgeon Major.
Army List entry noting his battle honours as: “Surgeon T.W. Wright served in the Ashanti War in 1873-74 (Medal)”
According to the Medical History of the West African Campaigns, the Army was under the overall command of Principal Medical Officer Deputy Surgeon General A.D. Home, V.C. C.B.
They fielded 16 Surgeon Majors and 57 Surgeons attached from the Army, however in addition to that was the unusual service of Surgeon T.W. Wright, who was one of only 6 Surgeon Majors and just 4 Surgeons (Including Surgeon Wright) who were part of the “African Medical Service”.
“A Year after the conclusion of the Ashanti War of 1873-74 there were serving on the African Medical Staff the following Officers :- … (Only 9 Surgeon Majors are mentioned including the newly promoted Surgeon Major T.W. Wright, and another 5 with the rank Surgeon)”
Thomas William Wright
Surgeon Major Thomas Wright was born in County Cork, Ireland on 30th June 1837.
Cork Examiner 27th November 1862 contains the following notice:
“ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND
Mr THOMAS WILLIAM WRIGHT, Son of the late John Wright Esq, of the City of Cork having been Solemnly and publicly examined on 2 several days, obtained Letters Testimonial qualifying him to practice Surgery
By order of the Council, John Brennan, Registrar”
Following retirement from the Army, he remained in Cork for most of his life.
He later died there on 10th November 1903.
