Military History

Clive was admitted to the No 3 Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers with a gunshot wound to the upper extremities. He was placed on the sick convoy later the same day and evacuated to a Military Hospital (details unknown) and died there 2 days later on the 28th June 1916. Clive was one of a number of 9th Battalion men who were admitted to the 3rd CCS on the 26th and then evacuated to Rouen.

The 9th Battalion war diary entry covering the period 22nd to 27th June 1916 is transcribed below.

Martinsart Wood - 22.6.16: The Battalion in accordance with instructions received relieved the 8^th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in the trenches on the night of 22/23^rd inst. The relief was effected with casualties.

The line held on this occasion was from Inverness Avenue to Elgin Avenue (originally 1 Company frontage). No 1 Coy occupied the front support trenches while Nos 2, 3 and 4 Coys were accommodated in the new assembly trenches. The period under review marked the opening of the Preliminary Bombardment by our Artillery of the German Lines to the coming Great Offensive on this part of the British Front.

The bombardment commenced on the early morning of the 24^th inst & continued without ceasing until the morning of the 1^st prox. The enemy artillery replied to our bombardment, at intervals with very heavy fire, paying particular attention to our assembly trenches & the latter only being about 6ft deep & affording very little parapet protection, considerable casualties ensued, cases of shell shock being very numerous.

It was at first intended to launch the Infantry assault after 5 days bombardment i.e. on the morning of the 29^th inst, but this was afterwards countermanded & altering to the 1^st proxims.