No.17267, Private, Charles Sidney CLEMENTS
Aged 34
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Charlie Clements was born in Soham in 1882 (Newmarket Q2-1882 3B:570) son of William and Louisa CLEMENTS (née LEVET). There is an element of doubt here as
to year of birth on various records but the variation is only 1882 to 1884.
1891 census...Aged 9, Charles Clements was at Qua Fen Common, Soham, with his father William CLEMENTS [41] farm labourer; his mother Louisa [42]; brothers George [11] and Walter [5]. All were born in Soham. 1901 census...Aged 18, he was a farm labourer, at Qua Fen Common with his parents, brother George (bricklayer) and Walter (farm labourer) On 29th October 1906, in Soham , he married Rose REEVE [3-7-1887]. They had three children, Eva Eliza [1907-1908], Sidney William [29-5-1908-1942] and Frederick Charles [8-3-1911-1965]. 1911 census...Aged 28, a farm labourer, he was at Qua Fen Common with his wife of 4 years, Rose [23] and their sons, Sidney [2] and Frederick [under 1 month]. All were Soham born. His son Sidney William died on active service in UK in 1942 and is buried in Soham. see here |
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He enlisted in Ely on 13th March 1906 in the Cambridgeshire Militia for 6 years, 4th Battalion Suffolk Regiment No.3273. He gave his age as 22 years, single, labourer employed by Mr Seymour, Town End, Soham. He was 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) tall, weighed 140 lbs (63.7 kg), chest 36.5" to 39" (92.7 to 99.1cm), brown eyes, brown hair, Congregationalist. He completed his six years in the militia on 12th March 1912 and his address then was Burgess' Corner, Qua Fen Common, Soham. Enlisted for duration of war in Newmarket,he was posted to the 11th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Local press report:- We have this week recorded the loss of 4 Soham soldiers, the official notification concerning whom it has been received since our last issue. The first is Pte. Sidney Clements of Townsend, whose death has been notified to the widow by a Second/Lieut. of the 11th Suffolk Reg. The writer says “l am very sorry to have to tell you the sad news that your husband, Charles Sidney Clements has been killed. He was in my platoon and was acting as Company cook. He did his work excellently and was in every way a good soldier. He was killed by a shell and buried by his comrades. May I offer you my own sympathy and that of the whole Company in your loss. Your husband died for England doing his duty.” The late Pte. Clements was an old soldier, having been previously attached to the old militia. A few months after the outbreak of war he rejoined the Army. He has been in much of the recent fighting and quite a number of his Soham pals in the same regiment were witnesses to his death, as was evidence by earlier communications to their friends. Pte. Clements leaves a widow and two young children. Lt Col Murphy in his "History of the Suffolk Regiment recounts how the battalion were engaged that day:- "..two companies in trenches at Bazentin le Petit, the rest at Mametz Wood. On the evening of 5th August Lt F.L. Tempest, with ten volunteer bombers from each company, proceeded to the line held by the 15th Royal Scots due north of Bazentin le Petit. An attack carried out by the bombers of these two battalions, was successfully launched and three or four bays were gained without serious opposition.Then hostile artillery fire, together with pineapple bombs from automatic grenatenwerfer,came down on the attackers, putting the leading section out of action. These pineapples, accurately discharged as usual, blew up a large part of our supply of bombs and drove our party back. A critical situation was saved by Sgt.Negus, L/Cpl Cave, Ptes Taylor and Cockerton and one or two others - all highly skilled bombers who knew how to play a losing game. Pte Cockerton was wounded early in the fight but carried on until wounded again. The second wound cost him both his legs. Early next morning the party returned having lost in killed and wounded more than half their number. The deaths for the 11th Suffolks on 5th were Charles Clements and Ernest Spendelow. Since both men are named on the Thiepval memorial, it appears their graves were lost in later fighting.
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
