245419 Spr. Clement Cecil Clay British Army 2nd Special Company Royal Engineers from:Chilvers Coton, Nuneaton On 30th of July 1917, the eve of the hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele, I was digging in my garden in Reigate, Surrey when I noticed what I took to be an old crown coin sticking out of the pile of earth. Picking it up, it was obvious by the ribbon bar that it was a medal. A clean up under the tap and a Google later and it was identified as a First World War British War Medal. Or a Squeak as they are known. The edge was engraved 159514 RNR C.C.Clay R.E. Rather ironically, I was digging of all things, a drainage trench, in clay!
Although my house was built in 1966 this wasn't the first time I'd dug up old stuff, mostly bottles and china but this was clearly important and belonged to another family. I needed to get it to them and still do. Hopefully, a reader might be able to help with this search.
Starting the search with the Imperial War Museum's Lives of the First World War archive I matched the service number to Cecil Clement Clay, a Sapper with the Royal Engineers who had served with the Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) and previously the Essex Regiment.
Following census and military records it emerged that Clement was born to Frank and Elizabeth Clay on 19 May 1887. Frank was a solicitor's clerk and in 1891 they all resided in Ivanhoe Villa, 33 Princes Street, Chilvers Coton, Nuneaton. Clement had an older brother and sister, Sholto Evelyn and Mabel Constance Clay. By 1901, Elizabeth was widowed and Sholto was a clerk at the brickworks. By 1911 Elizabeth and Mabel were living together at 100 Edward Street, Nuneaton.
Clement's military medal card, medical record and discharge papers were also located via the archive and it was a relief to see he had survived the war. He was also awarded the Victory Medal (the Wilfred), so I am on the lookout for this in the garden or maybe a family member still has that? That would be a fantastic reunion.
The RNR were a tough bunch and were deployed ashore to Gallipoli and The Somme and were awarded no less than 12 Victoria Crosses during the war. Clement's documents disclose him as a Petroleum Worker However, a shocking truth was revealed in his medical papers.
On 30th of March 1916 Clement was admitted to 3rd Western General Hospital, Cardiff suffering from Shell Gas. The cause was Premature explosion of one of our gas shells, Phosgene.
After convalescing in Pontypridd, Clement was discharged to duty in May 1918. His final Discharge papers dated 11th of December 1919 cite defective vision and myalgia as being aggravated by service in last year.
Having narrowed the search for Clement to Surrey in the archives, I finally found that an incorrectly registered death Cecil Clement Clay (sic) passed away 11th January 1973 in Reigate, aged 87, he was a survivor!
Maybe this information may one day ring a bell with a reader or family member. I would very much like to put his medal into the hand of a relative , this brave soldier more than earned it, as did they all.
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