207953 Pte. Thomas Henry Clemson British Army 20th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers from:44 Ash Street, Wolverhampton (d.26th March 1918) Tom Clemson was my great uncle killed in March, 1918 aged 21.
I never knew him, but I have a memory from when I was a child of a sepia photograph taken of him before the War of a smiling man. Unfortunately this photograph is now lost.
All I know was that he was wounded in France and I believe my Great Grandmother (his mother) visited him after he was wounded before he died.
As I knew all his brothers and sisters (my great Uncles & Aunts) I have often thought about him and what he was really like. It seems that everybody liked him. It seems such a tragedy that he was killed at only 21.
In 2010 I traced his burial to the Etaples Military Cemetery near Le Touquet. I had the opportunity to visit the cemetery and it was a very emotional experience. We found the grave from a plan amongst the nearly 12,000 others buried there. The cemetary was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens and is an imposing site from the terrace where you enter. The thousands of graves are laid out in lots of rows and make you realise how many soldiers lie there. We walked along the row where he lies and there is a simple headstone like all the others giving his name,regiment and date of death. We placed some flowers on the grave and I believe I am the first person from my family to visit his grave.
When I think about Tom now I have the picture in my mind of this peaceful place in Northern France where a member of my family lies and I hope he is at peace at last.
|