Pte 300226 Hugh George Victor Clayton

• Age: 21
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Hugh George Victor Clayton was born 20th April 1897 in Liverpool and was baptised 11th July 1897 at St Saviour's Church, Everton. He was the only child of Hugh George and Catherine (nee Usherwood) Clayton, who married on the 5th July 1896 at St Peter, Liverpool, Hugh Snr was a 25 year old clerk of Christian St, Islington, whilst Catherine was 23 years old of Virgil St, Scotland Rd.

The 1901 Census shows Hugh living with his parents at 43 Buckingham Road, Walton, Liverpool.

The father, aged 30, is shown as Assistant Curator of an Art Gallery and was born in Liverpool as was his wife Catherine aged 28. Hugh is aged 3 and also present is a boarder, Louisa Drummond aged 23, born 1878 and employed as a confectioner's shop assistant.

He was educated at Longmoor Lane Council School in 1903.

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 43 Buckingham Road. 

The father Hugh George is now 40, and still Assistant Curator of the Art Gallery, his wife Catherine is aged 38, with no occupation listed. They have been married for  14 years and have the one son Hugh George Victor who is is 13 and at school. A 15 year old nephew Charles Hubert Clayton who was born in Liscard and employed as an office boy in shipping living with them.

He enlisted in Liverpool and according to SDGW was formerly Private 1886, Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry though his medal index card records his service number was 250821.  However, following transfer he was serving in the 18^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 300226 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918, aged 21, during the German Spring Offensive. 

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity.

Hugh has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

The Liverpool Echo 9th May 1918 reported:  

Art Gallery Official’s Son

Private Hugh G. V. Clayton, of the King’s, only son of Mr. Hugh Clayton of the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, was killed in action on April 29. He was twenty-one years of age, and an old boy of Oulton Secondary School. He enlisted in 1915 into the Lancashire Hussars and was subsequently attached to the King’s. He had been in most of the heavy fighting since going to France in February, 1916. Ten weeks ago he was home on leave. Prior to joining the forces he was an apprentice with Messrs. Farnworth and Jardine, timber merchants. In a letter to his father, the young man’s officer wrote:  

“Clayton was a splendid boy, beloved by all who knew him. He carried out his duties with a fine spirit of devotion and self-sacrifice, and we all miss him very much.”

Hugh is also commemorated on the war memorial at St John the Evangelist Church, Walton, Liverpool. 

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Catherine.

The mother died in March 1930 aged 57.

The father remarried in 1931 to Ida E. Wentworth.

He appears on the 1939 register at "Kestor", St Georges Crescent, dob 27th Jan 1871, a retired deputy art director, wife Ida E. dob 17th Oct 1888. He died 1947 in Conway aged 76.

We currently have no further information on Hugh George Victor Clayton, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.