Lieutenant-Colonel J.E. Wright
South Saskatchewan Regiment

Lt.-Col. Wright had been the admired leader and valued friend of every last man in the unit. He knew them all by name and background, and his sense of impartial discipline was greatly respected. One unknown soldier made the fitting remark “When God made a man, he made Lt.-Col. Wright.”

(Maj. G.B. Buchanan, The March of the Prairie Men, chap. 3)

Born on 30 December 1898 in Carnduff, Saskatchewan, James Ewart Wright was a dentist and First World War veteran. He had enlisted with the 78th Battalion in November 1915, served in France in 1916 until transferred to England in 1917, and ended the war as a cadet training with the Royal Air Force. He attended Regina College after demobilization then graduated from the University of Toronto with a dentistry degree. He opened a practice in Estevan where he also became commanding officer of the Saskatchewan Border Regiment.

That regiment merged with the Weyburn Regiment in 1936 becoming the South Saskatchewan Regiment. Wright assumed command the next year and mobilized the battalion for active service in September 1939. Recruited to full strength, the SSR embarked for England in December 1940.

Wright returned home a year later from ill health. He went on convalescence leave to and was discharged from the army in April 1942. He relocated with his wife to the Niagara peninsula. The regimental history by Major G.B. Buchanan remarked: “There was a feeling of great loss and a decided let-down among all ranks.” Overseas, Lieutenant-Colonel S. Lett, who had served with the 46th (Saskatchewan) Battalion in the First World War took over the SSR until he was promoted to brigadier in March.

On 19 August 1942, the SSR went into action for the first time at Dieppe. His successor, Lieutenant-Colonel Cecil Merritt was captured along with nearly one hundred men. “Very proud of boys of SSR at Dieppe,” Wright telegrammed to the mayor of Weyburn. “Knew they would be tops. Very disappointed was not with them. Please convey my sympathy to relatives of those who died so gloriously to save us all.” The mayor who had participated in the recruitment of the battalion, declared, “I’m sure the boys missed Lt.-Col. Wright when they raided Dieppe … He was well liked by members of the regiment and since he returned we have had many letters regretting his departure.”

Wright retired to St. Catherines, Ontario, where he died on 22 January 1976.