Corporal Mark Wright GC (Post) |
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Corporal Mark Wright awarded George Cross
on Thursday 14th December
2006 |
Corporal Mark William Wright photographed on duty in Afghanistan |
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The George Cross ranks with the Victoria Cross as the highest award in the UK for acts of gallantry. The full text of his citation explains the remarkable act he undertook: |
"Calmly,
Corporal Wright ordered all non-essential personnel to stay out of the minefield and continued to move around and control the incident. He sent accurate situation reports to his headquarters and ensured that additional medical items were obtained. Shortly afterwards a helicopter landed nearby, but as
Corporal Wright stood up he initiated a third mine, which seriously injured him and one of the orderlies. The remaining medical orderly began treating
Corporal Wright, but was himself wounded by another mine blast which caused further injury to both Corporal Wright and others. |
Below Corporal Mark William Wright photographed on duty in Afghanistan |
Gem and Bobby Wright, parents of Corporal Mark Wright at the Operational Awards Ceremony at the MOD Main Building held on Thursday 14 December 2006 |
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Corporal Wright's father, Bobby
Wright, accepted the award on his son's behalf at an awards ceremony in MOD's Main Building on Whitehall, London, saying: |
Corporal Mark William Wright was born on 22 April 1979 and lived in Edinburgh with his fiancée Gillian. |
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He
(Mark) joined the Army on the 11 January 1999 and successfully completed the gruelling Combat Infantryman's Course and Pre Parachute Selection. After passing the Basic Parachute Course at RAF Brize Norton, he was posted to the 3 PARA on 10 October 1999 and joined the Mortar Platoon. Within his first three years of service, he had completed three tours of Northern Ireland, conducting security operations in Dungannon and Belfast. |