238084 Pte. William "Old Beaver" Wright British Army 1/4th Btn. King's Own Scottish Borderers from:Wigton, Scotland When Grandpa, William Wright, joined the King's Own Scottish Borderers to fight in the First World War, he thought it would be fun. But after a time he thought it was better at home, so he packed up his bags and went home. But for some reason they came and said `Naughty boy, you're in for the duration'.
After training he went off to Egypt where he was involved in the Second Battle of Gaza. He was in a listening post when nature called. He went back down the trench and was just leaving the latrine when a mortar landed in it. Poor grandpa was hit with shrapnel and what ever was in the loo. As he was knocked out and bleeding, his comrades came along thinking `Old Beaver' was dead. They ran off to inform the NCO. In the meantime, Grandpa came to and said to his buddies that he was not dead.
He was evacuated to Alexandria. After recovering he was sent off to the western front. His job was that of a stretcher bearer.
He survived the war and emigrated to Canada. Grandpa had a metal piece in his head for the rest of his life. During the Second World War he joined the Veterans Guards of Canada. He spent the war as a guard for the POWs in Canada. After the war he was on escort duty to repatriate the prisoners to Germany.
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