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It is with great sadness that the Association has learned of the passing of Wing Commander Jim Wright DFC who flew as a navigator with 630 Squadron, completing 22 ‘Ops’.
After completing his training in 1943 Jim joined 61 Sqn at Syerston as a Navigator on Lancasters and served in the crew of Flight Lieutenant Ken Ames DFC and Bar. After completing 5 operations with 61 Sqn, F/L Ames and crew were posted to East Kirkby to join the newly formed 630 Squadron. After a brief spell in hospital, after a trip to Kassel on the 22 October 1943 and after completing 22 operations with 630 Squadron, Jim Wright joined 97 (Pathfinder) Squadron at Coningsby for the commencement of their 2nd tour. Jim and the crew completed 16 operations with 97 Squadron with their last operation was on the 19th of September 1944.
Following completion of operational duties with 97 Squadron Jim Wright was seconded to BOAC and served as an Operations Officer at Hurn and Heathrow in1945 until being demobbed in October 1946. Then Jim worked for BOAC 1946 until December 1950 as an Air Traffic Control Officer (ATCO) in British West Africa and as a Flight Operations Officer at Prestwick and Heathrow before rejoining the RAF 1951 for ATCO duties until he retired in 1976.
Jim was a frequent attendee at our Reunions, Dinners and commemorative events in Skarrild, Denmark. He worked tirelessly in recent years to gain proper recognition for Bomber Command crews by advocating the award of a Bomber Command medal. His efforts were to ultimately prove unsuccessful, but his service was recognised by France with the award of the Legion d’honneur to Jim in 2015.
Jim passed away on 2 June 2022. His funeral will be held at 1pm on Monday 1 August 2022 at the South Oxfordshire Crematorium, Garford, Abingdon OX13 5PA. Should any Association Members propose to attend, I’d be grateful if you could let me know so that I can pass numbers to Jim’s family.
Tony
The Association was represented at Jim’s funeral on Monday by myself and David Houghton. A number of veterans organisations were also represented as was the Chief of the Air Staff. Jim’s son, Neil, gave a moving Tribute to his Dad and a bugler from the RAF Central Band played the Last Post during the Committal.
As Tony Gunby has mentioned, I was honoured to be able to say ‘farewell’ to Jim at the South Oxfordshire Crematorium on 1 August, and to be able to chat with Jim’s sons, Dane, Neil and Keith.
I was fortunate enough to get to know Jim over the last 20 years, and was privileged to join him and other veterans from 630 Squadron on a number of trips to Skarrild, Denmark to remember the crew of 630 Squadron Lancaster ME650 (LE-B), which was shot down near the village on 26/27 August 1944.
In his moving eulogy to his father, Neil described Jim as a ‘peaceful’ man – that struck a chord with me as a perfect description of Jim, and a wonderful way to remember a wonderful man.
So long Jim – we’ll miss you.
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