John Edward Clay
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
John was born in in 1897 at Rempstone and was the son of Edward a farm wagoner and Eliza Clay née Black of Beacon Road, Woodhouse Eaves, Loughborough His father Edward Clay a farm wagoner, born 1873 in Ashwell, Rutland and his mother Eliza Black was born 1870 in Rempstone, they were married on 17th May 1894 at All Saints church Rempstone. They went on to have nine children in total three sons and six daughters , they were, Mary Alice, born 1895 and Sarah Alice, born 1897, the latter two were both born in Rempstone, Charles Henry, born 1900 and Alice Emily, born 1901,Kathleen Elizabeth born 1904, Hilda Daisy born 1906 and Arthur born 1910 the latter five were all born in Buckminster, Leics and finally Muriel Francis Clay born 21st July 1911 in Rempstone. In March 1901 the family home was at Main Street, Wymondham Road, Buckminster, Leics By the 1911 census the family are living on a farm at Narrow Lane, Sixhills, Leics , and are shown as Edwards 38 years a shepherd and farm labourer living with his wife Eliza 40 yrs they are living with five of their youngest children , Charles Henry 11 yrs, Alice Emily 10 yrs, Kathleen Elizabeth 7 yrs Hilda Daisy 5 yrs and Arthur 1 year old. Their two eldest daughters have moved out of the family home , Mary Alice 16 yrs is a domestic servant and is living with Harry Spencer a farmer and his family at Harrow Farm, Burton on the Wolds and her sister Sarah Alice 15 yrs is also a domestic servant living with Harry Freckingham a farmer and his family at Sixhills Leics. John Edward has left home but he has not been found on the 1911 census.
John enlisted at Loughborough, Leics stating his place of birth as Rempstone. He served in 2/5th battalion Leicestershire Regiment . He was killed in action on 30th Septemebr 1917 , he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial (Panel 50 and 51).
The 2/5th Battalion (Territorial Force) Leicestershire Regiment had its HQ in Loughborough as part of the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade, North Midland Division and was mobilised in September 1914. In January 1915 the battalion moved to Luton beimng billeted in private homes, in February and march they had a spell at Epping digging practice trenches. In July moved to the St Albans area, under canvas at Briton Camp for training and route marches. In Aug 1915, the Brigade was retitled 177th Brigade, 59th Division (2nd North Midland) and in October they were moved back to billets in Harpenden. Throughout 1915 some members of the 2/5 Leicesters also provided guards for the prisoner of war camp at Donnington Hall. In January 1916 parties of Officers were sent to France on tours of instruction in the trenches and in March, the long awaited orders to proceed overseas were received. But on Easter Monday, the rebellion in Ireland, forced a rapid change of plans. The 177th Brigade were recalled from leave and ordered move to Liverpool at midnight, the following day the sailed from Liverpool on the SS Ulster, a fast mailboat, escorted by a Royal Navy destroyer. Their first taste of action was not to be in the trenches of the Western Front, but in the streets of Dublin. By the end of the month the main uprising was over and the 2/5th Battalion were employed as search parties in Ballsbridge and guarded railways, bridges and other key infrastructure. On the 10th of May they moved out of the city to tackle pockets of resistance in Co. Kerry, moving from village to village, searching homes and making arrests. In June word was received that the Battalion would be moving to France and training resumed with long route marches through Ireland. Over 7 days in August they marched 80 miles from Tralee to Fermoy Barracks, where they would remain until January 1917, engaged in live fire training in trench warfare. The return trip from Ireland was made aboard the SS Ulster and they arrived at Fovant Camp in Wiltshire by train at 7pm on the 6th of January 1917. After embarkation leave they proceeded to France via Southampton, arriving at Le Harve on the 24th February 1917. They were sent to the Somme area where the enemy were retreating to the Hindenburgh line. The made their first attack on the villages of Hesbecourt and Hervilly on the 31st of March 1917, capturing both villages and suffering a number of casualties. In September the 2/5th Battalion moved north to Ypres to prepare for the Third Balle of Ypres. They saw action at Polygon Wood in the area of Hill 37. They moved to Lens on the 13th of October 1917 and were involved in the Cambrai Operations and spent Christmas resting at Le Cauroy. In February 1918 the 2/5th Battalion was disbanded, with the men being split between the 1st Battalion, 1/4th and 2/4th Battalions. The above extract is courtesy of the Wartime Memories Project
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