Private 4501 Arthur Edward Clifford ROE

South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One

Private 4501 Arthur Edward Clifford ROE - 23rd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers

Killed in action on Thursday 27th July 1916 aged 20

Military History


Theatre of War	Campaign Medals	Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders	British War & Victory Medals	Thiepval Memorial

Arrived in Theatre	Bravery & Conduct Medals	SWFHS Area Memorials
After 1st January 1916 in France	~	Leamington Spa War Memorial
		Leamington St. John's Memorial
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died	Date and Place Enlisted
Battle of Delville Wood (Somme)	After 27 July 1915 in Leamington Sp

Place of Death	Previous Regiments or Units	Other War Memorials
Delville Wood, Somme	~	~

Circumstances of Death

Arthur is listed as being killed in action on 27th July 1916 during the attack on Delville Wood. The 23rd Battalion war diary for the 27th and the map mentioned therein are transcribed/posted below. The Warwickshire Roll of Honour states that Arthur was shot by a sniper.

27 Jul 1916 - 5.30am to 8.10am

Delville Wood - 27 Jul 1916: Attack on Delville Wood.

5.10am: Artillery bombardment by Division on our left commenced.

6.10am: Our artillery barrage commenced. Our first wave B & D Coys formed up in front of existing trenches.

7.10am: Artillery barrage lifted to line marked Red in annexed map and N of it. Our first wave assaulted the Princes Street line and took it without much resistance. Meanwhile our second wave A & C Coys occupied the line vacated by the first line.

7.19am: Message was received from OC B Coy that Waterford (i.e. Princes Street line) was reached and consolidation was proceeding.

7.40am: Barrage lifted and second wave passed through the first in line marked in Red on Map.

8.10am: Barrage lifted to line marked Blue and second wave advanced to assault final objective, line marked Green and clear the wood.

27 Jul 1916 - 8.30am to end of day

8.30am: Advance was reported to be held up by heavy machine gun fire from Redoubt on our left. 2 Lewis Guns were sent up and these in conjunction with Bombers captured the Redoubt putting two machine guns out of action and turning a third on the retreating enemy.

9.00am: Second wave was reported at final objective and consolidation was proceeding

11am: Report was received from 1^st K.R.R.C that their right was being bombed in and B Coy Bombers and a Lewis Gun were sent to assist.

3.30pm: Report of a strong counter attack was received from the Battn on our right (1^st K.R.R.C) and this was successfully dealt with by them assisted by our Bombers.

7pm: 1^st S Staffs relieved our Coys and these returned to the position occupied before the attack. From 11am the enemy artillery heavily bombarded the whole of the wood until midnight and this bombardment was responsible for the bulk of our casualties.

We captured 6 Machine Guns. Over 160 prisoners passed through the cages captured partly by ourselves partly by 1^st K.R.R.C and a few by the Division on our left.

Our casualties were: 5 Officers killed; 7 Officers wounded; 51 O.R. killed & 225 O.R. wounded.

Map of Objectives

Personal & Family History

Birth Date/Place	Baptism Date/Place
Apr Qtr 1899 in Leamington Spa	21 Jun 1899 at Leamington, St John the Baptist

Parents Names	Abode
William and Elizabeth Roe	22 Wise Street, Leamington Spa

Schools	Colleges
Shrubland Street School, Leamington	~

Address History	Employment History
1899 - 18 Aylesford Street, Leamington Spa	1911 - Scholar at Shrubland Street School
1901 - 18 Aylesford Street, Leamington Spa
1911 - 15 Shrubland Street, Leamington Spa
1915 - 22 Wise Street, Leamington Spa

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