Peter Wright

Colonel Peter Wright OBE QC was a Canadian army officer, politician, lawyer and judge. He served during World War II as the senior intelligence officer with the First Canadian Army in Europe.

Early life Peter Edward Robinson was born July 16, 1910, in Toronto to Edward and Geraldine Wright. Both Edward and Geraldine were lawyers. Reports in the press regarding Peter's appointment to bench noted that Geraldine was the third woman lawyer to practise in the British Empire. He was educated at Rosedale Public School and University of Toronto Schools in Toronto, St. Andrew's University in St Andrew's, Scotland and returned to study law at Osgoode Hall Law School before joining the military at the outbreak of the Second World War. He was called to the Ontario bar in 1934.

Intelligence career In June 1943 Col Wright was posted to 1 Canadian Army HQ as an intelligence officer. All of his previous work had been either as an infantry officer or staff officer and the move came as quite a shock. In a post war interview he provided the following comments on his change.I was an Infantry Staff Officer. Throughout the war, I did what I was ordered to do. In June 1943, while I was on leave, I received a message that I had been appointed General Staff Officer Grade 1 AIR at 1 Canadian Army HQ. I knew nothing about AIR and so on my way to Edinburgh, I bought a little booklet on “How to Fly” for 9 pence. I read this on my way to Edinburgh and reported in. I was told that I was not G1 AIR, but G1 Intelligence. That is how I started. I succeeded Lord Tweedsmuir who had been G1 Intelligence. He wasn't there when I arrived, but Major George B. MacGillivray was. He was the person who introduced me to Intelligence. It was then that I started working in Intelligence and I did that throughout the rest of the war. This INTSUM was signed personally by Lt-Col Wright rather than by his duty staff officer. At 1800 hours, he told General Crerar that, in his opinion, the threat was real, not fake. General Crerar replied “I’ve been talking to Monty and he doesn’t think there’s anything in it.” Lt-Col Wright immediately called Brigadier E.T. Williams, BGS (Int), 21 Army Group HQ, and told him of the (evidence in the) pictures and his conclusions. He agreed and said he would speak to General Montgomery. Around 2000 hours, LCol Wright was called to General Crerar’s caravan at Tilburg. He said, “I’ve just been talking to Monty. He thinks there might be something to this threat across the Maas River. We’re deferring the move of Fourth Canadian Armoured Division to XXX Corps and the Guards Armoured Division have been added to our reserve if need be and we’re going to move Army HQ back from Tilburg to Turnhout.” LCol Wright stated “that was the only time I can remember where any appreciation or fact from G (Int) at Army altered the disposition of the Army or its plans.”

Decorations

Order of the British Empire

Col Wright was nominated for the Order of the British Empire by General Crerar shortly after they landed in Europe. The nomination reads as follows:This officer has been employed as GSO 1 Int, First Cdn Army since 21 June 43. As such, he has been primarily responsible for –

(a) The organization and training for active operations of Int staffs and units of First Cdn Army

(b) The preparation of the comprehensive Int material required for planning of operation OVERLORD within First Cdn Army.

These responsibilities he has met with outstanding distinction. In addition, since landing on the Continent on 16 June 44, he has by his ability, initiative and a devotion, far exceeding the demands of duty, provided for Senior Commanders and Staffs within First Cdn Army an Int and Counter Int service which has contributed notably to the success of operations.

Signed: “HDG Crerar” GOC-in-C First Cdn Army Dated 24 Aug 1944.Wright was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 1 February 1945 and promoted to Colonel GS (Int.) on May 3, 1945,

Post war intelligence work Colonel Peter. E. R. Wright shown here inspecting Militia Intelligence Sections taking part in the summer concentration training period in 1966. At the end of the war, Col Wright is credited with writing First Canadian Army Final Intelligence Report summarizing all Canadian Army intelligence efforts throughout the war. The following quotation is taken from the report.The primary duty of Intelligence is to give the Commander whatever information he requires about the enemy and to bring any significant changes to his notice immediately.” He further noted that “Intelligence in any formation is based on confidence,” and that there must be “direct access to the Commander and his principal staff officer.” This in turn means “the Intelligence Officer, who is as subject to error as anyone else, must always be prompt and clear in admitting his mistakes. Col Wright was also involved in the foundation of the Canadian Military Intelligence Association (CMIA), becoming its First President. In February 1964, Col Wright replaced General Harry D.G. Crerar as the Honorary Colonel Commandant (appointed 3 February 1949), of the CMIA. Col Wright contributed much to the development of Army Intelligence in Canada in both peace and war.

Political Candidate On May 12, 1948, Wright was nominated as the Ontario Liberal candidate for the electoral district of St. David, a downtown Toronto district covering Rosedale and the area between Sherbourne Street and the Don Valley south of Bloor Street. Toronto was a conservative electoral bastion for much of the first half of the 20th century especially provincially. (The city had only one Liberal MP at the time. It last elected a Liberal MPP in 1937 and did not elect the next one until 1959.) Wright was the third wheel in a high profile re-match between two prominent foes: Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Roland Michener, a future Governor General, and the predecessor CCF MPP William Dennison, a future Toronto mayor. Like all but one of his fellow Liberal candidates in Toronto in the 1948 provincial election, Wright came in a distant third with 18.9% of the votes.

Soon after his defeat, he was elected to serve as president of the Canadian Club of Toronto for the 1949-50 term. was often cited the legal development of professional regulation and discipline.

He also took on a number of corporate directorships during his two decades of active legal practice, including Barclays Bank (Canada) , Scottish Union & National Insurance, and Norwich Union Insurance Societies.

He was one of the founders of WoodGreen Community Centre.

Justice Peter Wright died on November 26, 1986. Honours and awards

Order of the British Empire (1 February 1945) Commander of the Order of Orange-Nassau