Keeping the aircraft flying

On the 21^st March 1917 William “Bill” John Wraight, my Grand Uncle, joined the Royal Navy Air Service aged 18.

He was born on the 24^th February 1899 in Willesden, London one of seven children born to Solomon and Alice Wraight (nee Uden). William’s older brother Solomon Charles Wraight had emigrated from England in 1915 and was now living in Philadelphia USA. His older sister Alice (born 1897) had died in 1911 aged just 14. He had two younger sisters Elsie (born 1903) and Ivy - my Grandmother (born 1904) and two younger brothers Arthur (born 1907) and Frederick (born 1911).

Wraight Family circa 1910 - William is likely to be the taller boy in the photo

1911 the family were living at 14 Eland Road, Lavender Hill, London. Bill’s father Solomon was working as a builder’s joiner / shop foreman.

By 1917 as well as their father, both Bill and his brother Solomon (in America) also worked as a carpenter & joiners.

Bill was 5 foot 9 inches tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a medium complexion and enlisted with the Royal Navy as an ACM2 rating – An Aviation Carpenter’s Mate 2nd Class Petty Officer and was based initially at Crystal Palace and Chingford until the 28th April when he was transferred to Eastbourne.

No doubt Bill's carpentry skills were put to good use, building, repairing and re-fitting aircraft, which was proving vital to the modern war effort in 1917.

Bill’s Uncle Albert Benjamin Uden who was serving with the 4^th Field Mounted Engineers of the Canadian Army was also a carpenter by trade.