Mark William Wright GC (22 April 1979 6 September 2006) was a soldier in the British Army and a recipient of the George Cross. He died in Helmand Province, Afghanistan after entering a minefield in an attempt to save the lives of other injured soldiers. His actions were posthumously recognised with the award of the George Cross on 14 December 2006, and gazetted the next day. Wright had served in the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan.

He joined the British Army in January 1999. After training, he joined the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment in October 1999. He completed three tours in Northern Ireland within three years, and was Number One in a mortar detachment by 2003. He was deployed to Iraq with his battalion in May 2003. Back in the United Kingdom, he was promoted to corporal. He became a Mortar Fire Controller, and was deployed to Helmand Province with his battalion in May 2006.

On 6 September 2006, Wright was on routine patrol in the region of Kajaki in Helmand Province. He entered the unmarked minefield with a small team after another soldier stepped on a landmine. While the first casualty was being tended, further landmines detonated as a landing space was cleared for a helicopter evacuation attempt, causing severe injuries to several others. Wright remained in the minefield, and ordered others out, but he was himself injured by another mine while making his way to the helicopter. He maintained the morale of the other wounded soldiers despite his serious injuries, including an impromptu rendition of "Happy Birthday" for a comrade also immobilised by the blasts. Wright later died of his wounds during the flight to the field dressing station, after a wait of many hours for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to scramble an appropriate rescue aircraft.

Mark Wright was a Freemason and a member of Lodge St Clair No 349, in Edinburgh. A group of Scottish Freemasons established the Mark Wright Memorial Degree team and toured Scottish masonic lodges performing degree ceremonies with the purpose of raising money for military veteran charities. The group became the starting point for a new Lodge, Kajaki No 1848, which was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland and consecrated in 2018. Its first Right Worshipful Master was Bob Wright, the father of Mark Wright.

By supporting this cause, we will purchase a Mark Wright GC Remembrance Bench and ensure Mark's memory lives on, he was one of Britain's Bravest son's. We will educate our youth across the Nation and leave a legacy.

Mark Wright GC - GBNF

John 15:13 "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends"