26923 Pte Ferady Clayton, 9th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment

26923 Pte Ferady Clayton of the 9th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, was killed in action on 27th July 1918.

He was called up - aged 18 years and 10 months - on 12th April 1916 and originally posted to the 3/5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment (army service number 5198). His service record survives in the Burnt Documents series at the National Archives and shows that at the time of his attestation he was living at 20 North End, Stalybridge and working as a Cotton Operative. He gave his next of kin as his mother - Sarah Clayton - and his sister, Mrs Elizabeth Coates of 19 Fitzroy Street, Ashton-under-Lyne. Elsewhere in Ferady's service papers, his mother's address is noted as 143 Trafalgar Street, Ashton-under-Lyne.

With less than three months' service under his belt, Ferady sailed for France, embarking at Southampton on the 11th July 1916 and arriving at Rouen the following day. He moved to the 6th Infantry Base Depot at Rouen the same day and joined his battalion (5th South Lancs) in the Field, ten days later. He then remained with the battalion until 21st October 1917. By this date the Territorial Force had been re-numbered and Ferady had a new six digit number: 242443.

During his time with the 5th South Lancs, he was admitted to hospital with scabies and spent two weeks out of the line as a result.

Ferady received a gunshot wound to the second finger on his left hand on 20th September 1917 and after spending a month in the 3rd Australian General Hospital he was sent home to England aboard the Hospital Ship Jan Breydel. He was in the London Temperance Hospital from 21st October until 10th November 1917 and, after fully recuperating, was posted to the 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment on 20th December 1917.

After recuperating in Blighty, Private Clayton sailed again for France. He joined the 11th South Lancs in Rouen on 19th January 1918, was posted to the 7th South Lancs three days later, and was finally transferred and posted to the 9th Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment on 3rd April 1918. It was at this point that he was given his new number 26923. He joined his battalion in the Field on 6th April 1918 and was fatally wounded on 23rd July, dying at a casualty clearing station four days later. Presumably his next of kin were notified by telegram that he was seriously wounded.

Soldiers Died in The Great War records that Ferady Clayton died of wounds and in his file there is a telegram from the officer commanding number 29 Casualty Clearing Station in France stating that Ferady died as a result of gun shot wound to his abdomen.

There are some minor - trivial, with hindsight - misdemeanours recorded in Pt Clayton's file: improperly dressed on a parade in June 1916, over-staying his leave in January 1918, losing a wire-cutter in April 1918, and not complying with an order on 27th June 1918.

Ferady Clayton is buried at Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt. 1374 British servicemen from the First World War are buried there, the majority of whom died of wounds at the 3rd, 29th and 56th Casualty Clearing Stations.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.

Sources:

Ancestry.co.uk (MIC, Service Record in WO 363)
Army Service Numbers 1881-1918
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Soldiers Died in the Great War