Pte 307277 Henry Clifford

• Age: 20
• From: Dundalk, Ireland
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 21st September 1917
• Commemorated at: Torreken Farm
  Panel Ref: E.17

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 29, Naylor Street, Liverpool. His father, James, is aged 34, and a poulterer and his wife, Rose Ann, is aged 33 has no occupation listed. At the time of the Census they have four children declared in the household; Josephine aged 9, Margaret aged 7, Henry aged 4 and James aged 2. They also have two boarders Peter Hughes aged 30, born 187 in Ireland who is employed as a dock labourer and Patrick Murphy aged 28, born 1873 in Ireland and he is a poulterer.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 5 St. Martin’s Place, Liverpool.

His father James is aged 45, and is a dock labourer was born in Dundalk in 1866. His wife Rose Ann is aged 44, born 1867 also in Dundalk, Ireland. They have been married for twenty three years and have had nine children of which four had died.  Those children shown on the Census are: Margaret aged 17, born 1894 with no occupation shown, Henry aged 17, born 1894 an errand boy in a tin works. Both Margaret and Henry were born in Dundalk, James aged 12, born 1899 is at school and Christopher aged 1 born 1910 were both born in Liverpool.

His father died, aged 44, in the Decmenber quarter of 1914. 

Henry enlisted in Liverpool as Private 5056, of the 1/8th Battalion (Liverpool Irish), King’s Liverpool Regiment.  The amount of the War Gratuity suggests that he enlisted in about October 1915, likely shipping to France in early 1916, the 1/8th then part of the 165th Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division.

In February 1916 the Division had relieved the French 88th Division south of Arras. They moved to the Somme in late July, taking over a section of front line near the village of Guillemont. They were in action at the Battle of Guillemont (3rd-6th  September) and at Ginchy (9th September).

Pte. Clifford 5056 H. was listed among the Wounded, Shock - Shell, reported in the Liverpool Post & Mercury on 14th September 1916.

It is not known whether he was evacuated to the U.K. or, if so, when he returned to the front. He was subsequently transferred to the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment with regimental number 307277. The fact that the pension cards, Soldiers’ Effects, and his entry on the Liverpool Hall of Remembrance all show 8th Bn. suggests that he had not long transferred to the 18th Battalion before being killed in action.

Henry was killed in action on the 21st September, 1917 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 18^th Battalion War Diary for 21^st September 1917 shows:

Parr Torreken Farm

9.30 pm

Relieved 2^nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment in support to Left Battalion, Right Brigade. Enemy shelled area heavily during relief.

Casualties  

Killed

235281 Pte C. H. Bitten

29693 Pte J. Lyon

307277 Pte H. Clifford

57589 Pte H. A. Dodd

300042 Pte W.H. Reed

300040 Pte J. Boon

Henry now rests at Torreken Farm Cemetery No1, Whytschaete, Belgium.

Wytschaete was taken by the Germans early in November 1914, and was recovered by Commonwealth forces during the Battle of Messines on 7 June 1917, but fell into German hands once more on 16 April 1918. The village was retaken for the last time on 28 September.  The cemetery, begun by the 5th Dorset Regiment in June 1917 and used as a front line cemetery until April 1918, contains 90 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 14 German war graves.

His name appeared in the list of those Killed published in the Weekly Casualty List on 23rd October 1917.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to his mother Rose Ann. She also received his Army pay of £1 15s 11d and a War Gratuity of £8-10s (1/8th Bn.).  The pension card (giving battalion as 8th Irish) in the name of his mother Rose Ann at 5 St. Martins Place, Raymond Street, shows that she was awarded a pension of 7/- a week from May 1918. 

His mother, died in 1920, aged 52.

Henry is commemorated in Liverpool’s Hall of Remembrance, Panel 9 Left (1/8thBn.) 

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