KBGS Old Boys' Forum

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Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

After the crossword, I always turn to the Obituary page in the Daily Telegraph. Today, Under the headline, Lieutenant Dave Wright - Hurricane pilot who wrote the Fleet Air Arm's most famous and raciest song, is the story of another KBGS Old Boy from Haworth who died recently aged 85. Quite a lad! Any body else read it?

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 45 -50

Current location (optional) Norfolk

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

What was the song? Were you related by any chance to Wilfred Pickles. Halifax's finest.

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

From The Times, May 25, 2007

Lieutenant David Wright

‘Catafighter’ pilot who established a Yorkshire weaving firm and excelled in daredevil motorcycling
Coming from a family rooted in the textile trade in his native Yorkshire, in wartime David Wright was one of that small and brave band of “Catafighter” Hurricane pilots, some Fleet Air Arm, some RAF, whose role it was to protect convoys from the attentions of the Focke-Wulf Fw200 Condor long-range reconnaissance bombers.

For the pilots, launched from “Catapult Aircraft Merchantmen” (CAM ships), it was truly a case of “They were expendable”.

Flung in his aircraft from rocket-powered catapult mounted above the forecastle of a hastily-adapted freighter, the Hurricane pilot hoped to be able to intercept and shoot down the Condor before his fuel ran out. But even if that was accomplished without mishap, there was no return to the mother ship. The best that could be hoped for was a successful baling out or ditching, and rescue by an escort vessel from the freezing waters of the North Atlantic before death from hypothermia supervened.

The CAM ship and its Hurricane pilot was a desperate stop-gap measure to give convoys at least some air protection, in the period before Merchant Aircraft Carriers (MAC ships) and then escort carriers began to arrive in effective numbers. The CAM pilot was, of necessity, a man with rational estimate of his chances of survival steadily before him.

David Wright was born at Haworth, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, home of the Brontë sisters, in 1921. His father designed textile machinery and created the centrifugal spinning system, for which he was appointed MBE.

Wright went to Keighley Grammar School and played the organ at Hall Green Baptist Chapel. After leaving school he trained as a textile designer.

When the Second World War broke out he was called up into the RNVR, and opted for the Fleet Air Arm, qualifying as a fighter pilot. He was sent to 804 Squadron which by April 1941 had ceased to operate as a squadron and was providing aircraft and pilots for the CAM ships.

After operating from CAM ships for more than a year, when it was replaced by the RAF Merchant Ship Fighter Unit, the squadron reassembled in May 1942 as a single unit for fighter operations. Wright then moved to 893 Squadron which was flying its American-built Martlet fighters from HMS Formidable. As such he participated in providing air cover for the November 1942 “Torch” landings in North Africa, and the following year for the Allied invasion of Sicily in July, and the landings at Salerno in September.

After the war he returned to the textile trade with a Coventry haberdashery firm, Dalton Barton, a small part of whose business was military regalia. The company, not greatly prospering, subsequently relocated to the Forest of Dean. In 1964 Wright bought out the military side of its business and reestablished it as Wyedean Weaving in his native Haworth.

There it established an international reputation for its gold braids, medal ribbons and other military accoutrements. Over the years its products have also ranged over false eyebrows for camels, a saltpetre-dipped touch cord for firing cannon salutes, jute webbing for lowering coffins into graves and binding tape for the film The Mummy (1999), in addition to sashes for such formal occasions as Trooping the Colour on Horseguards Parade.

Although no longer involved in the day-to-day running of the firm, Wright continued to take an active interest and was chairman at his death.

A keen stunt motorcyclist when younger, Wright was a star attraction at the annual Haworth Gala, riding spectacularly through flaming hoops to raise money for the local Round Table.

He is survived by his wife, Norma, whom he married in 1946, and by their two daughters and a son, Robin, who continues to run Wyedean Weaving.

Lieutenant David Wright, Fleet Air Arm pilot, was born on July 14, 1921. He died on March 10, 2007, aged 85

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

From the Daily Telegraph,

Lieutenant Dave Wright

Lieutenant Dave Wright, who has died aged 85, flew highly dangerous sorties over the sea during the Second World War and wrote the Fleet Air Arm's most famous song; after the war he founded a company making gold braid for senior British and Commonwealth officers.

Having joined the Fleet Air Arm as a newly qualified pilot in 1940, Ward became one of 804 Squadron's small band of "catapilots", flying the Canadian-built Hawker Sea Hurricane XIIA fighters from catapult-armed merchant ships.

Sailing in Atlantic and Arctic convoys, he would be launched by rocket-propelled sledge to attack approaching Condor bombers. Fourteen 11ft-long missiles ignited together to send his aircraft accelerating down a 70 ft ramp in a blast of fire which would be followed by a roar like an exploding bomb; the pilot would briefly black out ahead of the sound wave.

It was only after being launched on his first sortie from the former banana boat Maplin that it dawned on the 20-year-old Wright that he was far from land with no instructions about his return.

The theory was that he should land on the water and hope to be picked up by a passing vessel; but he realised that the oil-cooler underneath the Hurricane would scoop up water, causing it to sink like a stone.

So Wright perfected a manoeuvre in which he first jettisoned the canopy; then, crouching on the seat, he would decelerate the Hurricane and roll it slowly on to its back; he would then fall away from the aircraft, kicking the control column forward to avoid being hit by the tailplane as the Hurricane plunged into the sea.

In this way Wright survived 24 launches before switching to 893 Squadron, flying Martlets and Seafires from the fleet carrier Formidable, to take part in the landings in North Africa, Sicily and Salerno.

David Wright was born on July 14 1921 at Haworth, West Yorkshire, where his father was a textile machinery designer and the inventor of the centrifugal spinning system. Dave was educated at Keighley Boys' Grammar School.

After the war he returned to Haworth, where he founded Wyedean Weaving Company to make gold braid and medal ribbons. All around the world police and armed forces wear Wyedean products, which include sashes for the Royal Family and senior officers at Trooping the Colour as well as touch cord for cannon and jute webbing for undertakers.

It even made false eyebrows for camels for the film The Mummy (1999). Wright liked to joke that he preferred clients in Africa because coups were more frequent there and the generals changed the braid on their uniforms regularly.

Wright founded the Haworth Round Table and helped open a private airfield at Black Moor, Oxenhope, where he took up flying again. As a prominent member of the Bradford Motor Club, he became a star attraction by riding a motor-cycle through flaming hoops at Haworth Gala.

He also composed sacred music, and for more than 60 years played the organ at Hall Green Baptist chapel, where his grandfather had been choirmaster. He was a talented jazz pianist, and as a wartime DJ entertained the ship's company of Formidable.

With Lieutenant Derek Stevenson, he wrote and set to music a version of the famous song Villikins and his Dinah; it lampooned the tedious A25 accident report form, beginning: They say in the Air Force a landing's OK / If the pilot gets out and can still walk away, / But in the Fleet Air Arm the prospect is grim / If the landing's piss-poor and the pilot can't swim.

The chorus (Cracking show, I'm alive / But I still have to render my A25 ) has been sung, with other scurrilous verses, in every British carrier and naval air station ever since.

Dave Wright married, in 1946, Norma Hiley, for whom he liked to compose racy poems on the occasion of her birthday. She survives him with their two daughters and a son.

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

Having read the two orbituaries to Dave Wright all I can add is that anyone who could jettison , roll,then parachute into the Atlantic not just once but 24 times says it all. If not the most famous old boy prior to his death , he deserves the title mote than anyone else we have heard about. Thanks to Denis for making us aware of his bravery

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 1943-46

Current location (optional) Sassafras, Tasmania

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

No Peter - no relation to Wilfred. I'm descended from a line of Lothersdale farmers, hand loom weavers, qarrymen and paupers. And I'm afraid that I don't know of any more verses to Dave Wright's famous song other than the one quoted in the newspaper.
I agree with Mike, Lt. Wright richly deserves recognition as one of KBGS' famous Old Boys. Isn't it surprising how many of his era modestly do not refer to their exploits during the war? There must be others whose story is worth telling.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 45 -50

Current location (optional) Norfolk

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

As to the song it is sung to the music of 'The Mountains of Mourne' you know the ones that sweep down to the sea.
We used to sing :
They say that Old Melksham's a wonderful place/ But the organisation's an effing disgrace/ There's corporals and sergeants and flight sergeants too/ with their hands in their pockets and eff all to do./ They stand on the square and they bawl and they shout/ but no one can tell what they're shouting about/ for all of their use that might as well be/shovelling shit on the Isle of Capri.
It does go on from there but I'm blessed if I can remeber but then it was a long long long time ago. Another time in another place. Arthur

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

Those obituaries are truly inspirational.There are so many stories which only emerge after the passing of a hero.What a larger than life character Dave Wright must have been.As Mike says, to survive 24 ditchings says it all,and at 20 years old--------whew. Those guys grew up quick. Cheers.

Years at KBGS e.g. 1958-1964 (optional) 47-51

Current location (optional) Auckland,NZ

Re: Famous Old Boys. Dave Wright

Truly one of KBGS's most heroic figures. I guess perusing the obituary columns of the Times and the Telegraph newspapers will in the course of time produce a few more.