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Cenotaph Record
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Full Name
Private David Nelson Wright
Rank Last Held
Private
Forename(s)
David Nelson
Surname
Wright
War
Vietnam War, 1961-1975
Serial No.
43223
Date of Birth
30 August 1946
Military Awards
New Zealand Operational Service Medal
Last Unit Served
Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, Whiskey 3
Place of Death
Australia
Date of Death
19 March 1970
Age at Death
23
Year of Death
1970
Cause of Death
Died of wounds
Cemetery Name
St Mary's Church, Esk Valley, St Andrews, South Canterbury, New Zealand
Memorial Name
Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories
Biographical Notes
  • Private David Wright sustained gunshot wounds to his back in an exchange with Vietnamese enemy on 30 January 1970 and was medically evacuated to Australia where he died three months later, on 19 March 1970, of a kidney infection and eventual failure, a direct result of complications of the wounds.
  • Memorial Flag - Association to retain at mother's request.
  • Private Wright's mother, Mrs Evelyn Kendall of Auckland, received the New Zealand Operational Service Medal on his behalf from the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence at a presentation at the Auckland War Memorial Museum on Thursday 27 November 2003
Description of Image
  • Portrait
  • Gravestone, St Mary's Church, Esk Valley, the people reflected in headstone are David's mother Evelyn and her second husband, Owen Kendall. David's father is buried beside his son
  • Auckland War Memorial Museum, Hall of Memories World War 2. Vietnam Names Watt - Wright
  • Hall of Memories WW2, Auckland War Memorial Museum, looking East (taken in April 1999)
  • Anzac Service at Esk Valley Church in 1999?
Further References
The Vietnam Scrapbook :'The Second ANZAC Adventure'; New Zealand Ex-Vietnam Services Association Inc.