CLEMENTS, Lewis


No.42955,Private, Lewis CLEMENTS
Aged 20


21st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
formerly 1756, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action presumed between 21st/24th March 1918


Born in Bury St.Edmunds in 1897 (2nd qtr 4a:806 ) son of Charles Walter and Amy Sarah CLEMENTS (née FOX)

1901 census...Aged 3, he was at 4 Angel Hill, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Charles W Clements [43] furniture dealer born Halstead; his mother Amy J [32] born London; brothers Fred [10] and Leonard [7]; sisters May [8], Lily [6] and Myra [2]. All the children were born in Bury St.Edmunds

1911 census...Aged 13, he was still at 4 Angel Hill with his parents; brothers Fred (cabinet maker), and Leonard (french polisher); sisters May, Lily (milliner) and Myra [12] and grandfather George James FOX [68] retired tailor born Westminster. His mother had borne 7 children but one died (Ethel May b 1889 d 1890).

Pension card has his mother at 123 Northgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds, after she died his father was at Stoney Croft, Picts Lane, Princes Risborough.

His brother Leonard died of wounds in 1917 see here


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
The 21st March 1918 was the 1st day of the German Spring Offensive, the Kaiserschlacht. This started a very rapid advance for the Germans, over-running many Alled positions and only halted by their logistical problems and some heroic defence by parts of the Allied line. Most war diaries as skimpy at this time, they had more important matters to consider.




photo - Roy Beardsworth
Lewis Clements is commemorated on the Pozières Memoral, France panels 90 to 93

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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