No.15736, Private, John CLAYDON
Aged 19
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John CLAYDON was born in Haverhill (Risbridge Q4-1896 4A:697), son of John and Charlotte CLAYDON (née ARGENT).
1901 census...Aged 5, he was at Chauntry Road, Haverhill with his father John CLAYDON, [32], hair weaver; his mother Charlotte [33] coat finisher; sisters Dorothy [9] and Gladys [3]; brothers William [7] and Cecil Transvaal [5 months]. All were born in Haverhill. 1911 census...Aged 15, he was still at 11 Chauntry Road, Haverhill with his parents; brothers William (warp winder), Cecil Transvaal, Alfred [7] and Ernest [3] (both born Haverhill); sister Gladys Irene. All seven children survive. CWGC have his parents at 191 Well Hall Road, Eltham, London |
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He enlisted in Reading. His "Soldier's Personal Effects" entry has death as between 9th May and 3rd August 1915. He was officially presumed to have died on 9th May.
The battalion war diary entry is far too long for here, but in summary they were part of the Aubers Ridge battle, the northern pincer around Fromelles, an inconclusive operation which cost us 11,000 casualties for no appreciable gain. Our artillery had insufficient shells, and many rounds were duds or fell short into our own men. On the 9th the battalion record has: Officers killed 5, wounded 9 and missing 6; other ranks 39 killed, 198 wounded, 36 missing. CWGC figures are a total on the day of 91 killed, of which only 2 have known graves. The South West Suffolk Echo of 11th September 1915 reported:- "Mr. and Mrs. J.Claydon of 6 Vine Cottages, received the following notification: British Red Cross and Order of St.John, 31, St James' Square, S.W....7th September 1915 Dear Madam. We regret to inform you that according to a German list of 21st August 1915, received through Geneva on 7th September 1915, Private J.Claydon, 15736, Berkshire Regt, was found dead on 3rd August in a trench about 1900 yards north west of Fromelles, by a German patrol. (His parents were informed in September 1915 that their son had been killed on the 9th May)." The German record has:- Claydon 15736 J Berks Vorstehende Erk Mrk. werden engl.leichen abgenommen, die seit 10.5.15 in einer engl. Stellung liegen, dieselbe liegt ungefähr 1800 m nordwestl. Fromelles. Die Marken wurden am 3.8.15 von einer tagespatrouille mitgebracht. (Erk Mrk =Identification discs) Unfortunately the Germans did not say where they had buried the men they found, so they remained lost and are named on the Ploegsteert memorials |
photo: Rodney Gibson
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details