Sister Irene Wright, who served in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Services. Irene lived in Park Road, and was educated at Portadown Technical School where she played hockey for the school team. Irene was the daughter of Ernest and Eliza Jane Wright.

At the outbreak of the war she volunteered for the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing service and was sent to Singapore. Sister Irene Wright was embarked on HMS Kuala, an auxiliary anti-submarine vessel, and it left Singapore on 13th February 1942.

The next morning Japanese aircraft sank Kuala off Pompong Island, 90 miles south of Singapore. Although there were survivors, Sister Irene Wright was not one of them. She was lost at sea, and is commemorated on the Singapore memorial.

Irene’s cousin Eva was also a trained nurse and was stationed in London during the Battle of Britain and The Blitz. Her brother William was a draughtsman at Harland and Wolff Shipyard, Belfast before emigrating to Canada.

Ernest Wright, Irene’s father, served in the 1914-1918 war and was employed in the family bakery at West Street, Portadown.

Our thanks to Portadown Heritage Tours for information used in this article.

Compiled by Ken Austin from information supplied by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. www.cwgc.org.

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