Harold Clifton was killed on this day in 1915
Harold was born on 7 May 1894 in Ashley Gardens, Westminster. He was the son of William Edward Clifton (architect and surveyor and Isabel Clifton (née Nelson) from Carlisle, living at 7, East India Avenue, London.
In 1901, aged 6, he can be found on the census records living with his parents, a 1 year old sister and four domestic servants in Cambridge Square, London.
Harold was first educated St Peter’s Court, Broadstairs, Paddington.
Ten years later, at the 1911 Census, Harold was now 16 year and a 'boarder' in The Druries (House), at Harrow School where there was a housemaster, his wife, plus 44 boys in their mid-teens as well as a Butler, Footman, Cook, Matron and eight assorted maids.
At Harrow, Harold was a school monitor and head of house, a member of the football eleven and captain of the swimming team. In addition we was a middle-weight boxer for the school for two years, competing in the Public Schools Competition at Aldershot. He was also a member of the Richmond Football Club.
He joined the Artists’ Rifles in 1913, and went with the regiment to France in October 1914 as a Corporal, obtaining a commission in the Coldstream Guards 1 January 1915.
He was severely wounded at Cuinchy, near La Bassée, 25 January 1915 and died of his wounds in a German field hospital on 1 February 1915 and was buried at Billy Berclau, near La Bassée.
Above: The Railway Bridge near Cuinchy by E. Handley-Read. (Courtesy of the Imperial War Museum.) The description of this watercolour reads “A view of a railway bridge over the Canal-d'Aire near the French village of Cuinchy. There are two large clouds of smoke emanating from the railway, as well as two smaller black clouds of anti-aircraft fire in between the larger clouds.”
After the war his grave was concentrated into the massive Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery at Souchez.
Above: Cabaret Rouge British Cemetery. Photo courtesy of Carl Liversage (from the WFA's annual calendar 2024)
2nd Lieut. Harold Norton Clifton, 2st Bn Coldstream Guards
1 February 1915 died of his wounds
Research by Jonathan Vernon
Read on > The Coldstream Guards and Irish Guards at Cuincy
Sources: De Ruvigny’s, Census Records 1901, 1911 Ancestry, The Tatler 17 February 1915, UK Register of Soldiers' Effects, UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, UK, World War I Service Medal Awards.