Alexandra, Princess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment) (‘Green Howards’) 3rd & 13th Battalion, Service no. 57777
Born: 14th May 1893. Died: 1970
Story
Dennis was born on Moorgate, Kippax, and was baptised 7th June 1893. His parents were John Robert Wright and Rose Manning. In 1911, he was a colliery Rope Rider, living with his parents at Braham Yard. He was 5ft 6 inches tall when he attested under the Lord Derby scheme on 9th December 1915, whilst he was living at Mount Pleasant. On 25th April 1918, Dennis married Blanche Howson in Kippax. Four days later he was called up for service. Dennis was injured on his first day with the Army in Liverpool. He was initially posted with the 3rd Battalion until 31st August when he transferred to the 13th Battalion. On 25th November 1918, the War was supposedly finished, but Dennis landed in Russia. Like Thomas Holiday Naylor, Dennis was part of the Syren Force, which was sent to Russia at the end of the War. Unfortunately on his first day in Russia, he was diagnosed with chronic worms and required treatment. The Revolution had taken Russia out of the war against Germany but allowed the Germans to use the port of Murmansk on the north coast where U-Boats were refitted and launched. Up until 1917 Russia had been on the allied side and supplied with arms and equipment but these had to be retrieved, so an international expedition was organised to recapture Murmansk. They also found themselves supporting the Tsarist White Russians in the civil war against the Red Bolsheviks. The Green Howards were selected as a unit to join the troops already there.
The allied base was now at Archangel on the White Sea where the munitions were stockpiled. The battalion was split into 3 detachments and 200 men were chosen to form a mobile company trained by Sir Ernest Shackleton the famous Arctic explorer. The men had to carry out their duties in temperatures down to 40 degrees centigrade and in darkness. The tour of duty lasted until Feb 1919, when Dennis left Russia on the SS Czar, along with Thomas Holiday Naylor.
After the War, Dennis and Blanche were living at 4 Cliff Terrace, Micklefield, and he was working as a coal miner. He passed away at the age of 77.
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