Name
Ernest Arthur Clayden
4 Jan 1896
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/11/1916
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
292692
Northumberland Fusiliers
1st/7th Bn.
"C" Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
WARLENCOURT BRITISH CEMETERY
II. E. 2.
France
Headstone Inscription
AT PEACE WITH GOD
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop’s Stortford Town Memorial, All Saints’ Church Memorial(s), Hockerill, Not listed on the Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Ernest Arthur Clayden was born on 4 Jan 1896 at Hockerill, Herts to James Clayden and Fanny (nee Curtis), and baptised at Hockerill on 23 Feb 1896.
On the 1901 Census, the family of parents. Alice A( born 1885), Ethel M (born 1886, William, (born 1887), Charles H (born 1889), Herbert P (born 1891),Mary F (born 1894) and Ernest were living at 3 Oliver Cottages, Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford and his father was a number taker for the Great Eastern Railway. On the 1911 Census he was living with his family of parents, Charles, Herbert, Mary and Ernest at 92 Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford and working as an errand boy and his father was still working for the Railway.
Wartime Service
Ernest enlisted at Hertford, probably in Sep/Oct 1914 (Serial Number 2709 was issued on 5 Sep and 3697 on 5 Nov) as Private 2798, Hertfordshire Regiment. No Service Record was found for Ernest.
He was later transferred to the Northumberland Fusiliers as Private 7/7188 and served in France with 1/7 Battalion, a unit of 50 Northumbrian Division. During the Somme Offensive the Division fought at the Battles of Flers-Courcelette (15 – 22 Sep 1916), Morval (25-28 Sep 1916) and Le Transloy (1 -18 0ct 1916). Ernest, at one time, was recorded as Missing, Wounded, but his remains were recovered*2 and reburied with his death was recorded as 14 Nov 1916. He is also recorded as serving under Serial number 292692 (Territorial Force renumbering 1917)
Additional Information
His father, Mr James Clayden, 92 Dunmow Road, Bishop's Stortford, ordered his headstone inscription: "AT PEACE WITH GOD".
War Gratuity of £9 10s and arrears of £9 3s 5d was paid to his father James. Brother William served with Middlesex Regiment in France and Labour Corps and was demobilised in 1919. Brother Herbert served with Bedfordshire Regiment in France from Dec 1916 until wounded (GSW Right Foot) May 1917 and discharged as medically unfit for Service 4 Oct 1917.
The surname Clayden is sometimes spelt as Claydon.
*2 His body was recovered from map ref. Sh.57c.S.W.M.18.c.64 and identified from the cross was on the grave.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
