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Kā Kōrero o Waikirikiri Selwyn Stories

Private Thomas James Clinton

Description

TitlePrivate Thomas James ClintonAlternative NameTomSummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionTom was born at Darfield on 7th June 1893, third son of William Francis and Mary Clinton. Before enlisting he was farming at Darfield. He had previous military experience having served four years with the Territorials although he did not specify a regiment. He was 5ft 6in tall with a fair complexion, grey eyes and fair hair.

Tom enlisted on 8th February 1916 and was assigned to the 13th Mounted Rifles, C Squadron on 12th February 1916. However he was transferred to the Cyclists Corps on 4th April 1916. The New Zealand Cyclist Corps was created in New Zealand in March 1916 from recruits who were training to join the Mounted Rifles. Whilst they were intended as mobile light infantry, the cyclists found on arrival in France in July 1916 that stationary trench warfare left them with little to do. They spent much of the war behind the lines performing tasks such as controlling traffic, laying cables and repairing trenches. Tom initially embarked for Suez and disembarked in Egypt on 22nd June 1916. With the rest of the Cyclist Corps he embarked for France on board HT Tunisian from Alexandria on 10th July 1916, was attached to Division at HQ in the field on 18th August 1916. Finally he was attached to the strength at Sailly on 29th October 1916 and then on to join the 22 Corp of Cyclists Battalion in the field 19th May 1916. June and July were spent training and on support duties. The New Zealand cyclists, as part of the 2nd Anzac Cyclist Battalion, were involved in the Flanders offensives of 1917. Time was spent building an 1800-m support track across no-man’s-land at Messines, and laying signal cables behind advancing troops at Gravenstafel and Bellevue Spur. He then went on leave to England from 5 – 17th August. A few months later conditions began to tell on his health and he was sent to hospital with shingles on 12th November and back to his unit on 27th November 1917. In 1918 he was once again sent on leave to England on 11th March and returned 8th April 1918 re-joining his unit the next day. It is nice the think that he had visited relatives in England for he was killed in action nine days later on 18th April. At the time the Battalion were in the Donegal Farm sector. On the 16th they had retired to a hill known as Fairy Farm which soon came under intense shelling. After a day there they returned to the top of Mount Kemel to reinforce the Mounted.
According to the Regimental history, “The enemy shelling was most intense, every sort of gun and gas shell was used.” One of the seven casualties was Tom who was killed in action 18 April 1918. His body was not retrieved or identified so his name is inscribed on the Messines Ridge Monument to the Missing. In New Zealand Tom is remembered on the Malvern County War Memorial.

First NameThomas JamesLast NameClintonFamilySingleThird son of William Francis and Mary ClintonDate of Birth7 June 1893Place of BirthDarfield, CanterburyDate of Death18 April 1918Place of DeathMessines, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death25

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Soldiers on leave in Killarney, Ireland

'Dalmuir Prince', champion draught stallion

Connections

CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OneImageMalvern War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph

Military Service

Memorial or CemeteryMessines Ridge Monument to the MissingMalvern County War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingFarmerRegiment or ServiceNew Zealand Cyclist BattalionEnlistment Details8th February 1916Service Number10783CountryNew Zealand

Attribution

Researched ByL. M. Seaton

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Private Thomas James Clinton