Hubert Everard Clifton
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Hubert was born 14th July 1891 at Loughborough and was the only son of Rev Richard James and Annie Clifton, of Whitstable. He had an elder sister Beatrice Emmeline born 1887 in Stoke on Trent. The Rev. Clifton was formerly Wesleyan Superintendent minister at Newark and was born Westminster, London, his wife Annie Louisa had been born in Newton Abbott Devon. In the 1901 census the family are living at 72 Trentham Road, Longton , Staffordshire , Hubert is 9 years of age a scholar and is living with his parents and elder sister Beatrice. In the 1911 census the family are living at No 1 Marsh, 44 South Bar, Banbury, Hubert is 19 years of age, single and a law student, he is living at the address with his parents and his sister. Hubert was an exceptionally clever caricaturist, he intended entering the legal profession. and was about to leave university when war broke out so he joined up.
Joined the 1st battalion Devonshire Regiment in 1914 and disembarked in France on 19th June 1915 . He received a slight wound but was later wounded in in the forearm near Morval, during the Battle of the Somme. He was hospitalised in France and later at Fort Pitt military hospital, Chatham, where he died of pneumonia. He was buried in Torquay Cemetery and extention in grave reference D 19 14348. Postumously awarded the Military Cross in addition to the 1915 Star, Victory and British war medals. The following is an extract from The Magnus School, Newark diary of the 'Great War :- Wednesday 4 October 1916: Classmates of Hubert Everard Clifton always knew he was one of the brightest Magnusians. But it was some time after his death today, aged 25, that they discovered he was also among the bravest – when he was posthumously awarded the Military Cross.. He had been such a star at the Magnus while his father Richard was Wesleyan Superintendent Minister at Newark that he went to Trinity College, Cambridge University, and was about to embark on a career in the legal profession when War broke out. After enlisting in the 1st Battalion Devon Regiment in 1914, he shrugged-off his first War wound with no problem, but the second, in the forearm, caused a severe haemorrhage. He was in hospital in France for a time and was then shipped to Fort Pitt Military Hospital, Chatham, where pneumonia supervened. Second Lieutenant Clifton is remembered in Torquay Cemetery and Extension
He is also commemorated on the Short Street, Wesleyan Methodist War memorial , Cambridge and Trinty College, Cambridge War Memorial
