Private 6324 Joseph Cleton

Killed in Action on Sunday, 25th April 1915, age 33.
Commemorated on Panel 8 of Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

1st Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 10th Brigade of 4th Division.

Husband of Amy Rosina Cleton, of 3 Back of 66 Sherborne Street, Ladywood, Birmingham.
Born: Dudley Port, Enlisted: Warwick, Resident: Birmingham.

First landed France & Flanders, 30th November 1914.
Medal entitlement: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1607020/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Joseph Cleton registered March quarter 1881 in Dudley. Mother's maiden name was Whitehouse. Joseph was born on 18th September 1880.

1901 Census
Cannot be found. Likely to have been serving with the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, in Aden.

1911 Census
6 Back of 256 Icknield Port Road, Birmingham.
Joseph Cleton (29, Tube Roller, born Dudley Port), and his wife Amy R. (28, Varnisher, born Ladywood).

Personal Data

At the time of Joseph's birth, the Cleton family (parents John and Amelia) were living at 53 Cleton Street, Dudley Port. By 1891, Amelia had died and Joseph now had a step-mother, Clara. The family had moved to Shepcote Lane, Birmingham.

In October 1917, Joseph took emplyment with the Great Western Railway Company as a 'Lorry Boy' at the Birmingham Goods Depot at a weekly wage of 9/0d (9 shillings). He resigned in February 1898.

It seems that Joseph and his brother John joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment at the same time in October 1898; Joseph was Army Number 6324 and John 6320. John served for a full 21 years to 1919 rising to the significant rank of Warrant Officer Class II.

When war was declared, Joseph Cleton was probably a Reservist having completed his time as a Regular Soldier. At the declaration of war, he would have been instantly re-called to the Colours and had refresher training. He entered France on 30th November 1914, whereas the 1st Royal Warwicks had arrived on 23rd August 1914. He would have been part of a draft to replace men killed during 1st Ypres, and would have joined the Battalion in trenches near Ploegsteert where they spent a wet and unpleasant winter of 1914 / 1915.

After Joseph's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances of £10/7/3d (10 pounds, 7 shillings and 3 pence) was paid to his widow, Amy Rosina, in June 1916. His War Gratuity of £5/0/0d (5 pounds exactly) was also paid to Amy Rosina in August 1919. The value of the War Gratuity and his date of death suggest that Joseph enlisted in approximately August 1914.

Joseph's widow, Amy Rosina, was awarded a Widow's Pension of £0/10/0d (10 shillings exactly) per week, this was effective from 20th December 1915. Her address at this time was 3 Back of 66 Sherborne Street, Ladywood, Birmingham. All was well until 1918.

In 1918, Amy’s Widow’s Pension was suspended; the Pension Card records:
“IO (Issuing Office) instructed to suspend pension (7.8.18).
S.C.C. (Special Co-ordinating Committee) decide that “Mrs C” was Class ‘B’ Dependant (ie not wife or child) and not the legal wife of the late soldier, also that she is unworthy to receive pension in respect of him. “Mrs C.” informed 19.8.18.”
It was also noted on the Pension Card “Bigamous Marriage”.

In June quarter 1904, the marriage of Amy Rosina Devonport and William Henry Childs was registered in Birmingham. On the 1911 Census, Amy was recorded as Mrs Amy Rosina Cleton, and that she and Joseph had been married for one year. There had been no divorce from Mr Childs, divorce for the working class was rare at that time, and so no laws had been broken. However in December quarter 1914, the marriage of Joseph Cleton and Amy R Devonport was registered in Birmingham – this was bigamous.

William Childs was obviously a forgiving man. In 1921, William and Amy were re-united and living together as man and wife; they were still together in 1939.

Action resulting in his death

On 22nd April 1915, the Germans launched a gas attack to the north of Ypres around St Juliaan to commence the 2nd Battle of Ypres. The 1st Warwicks were marched to Ypres just at that time, and in the early morning of 25th April launched a counter-attack to retake St Juliaan and Kitchener Wood.

The 1st Warwicks advanced with the rest of 10th Brigade and attempted to support a Canadian unit which had been over-powered by gas. Advancing to within 50 yards of the enemy, the 1st Battalion was unable to advance further due to enemy machine gun fire. This lasted for two hours and resulted in 7 Officers and 145 Other Ranks were killed. This occurred just to the north of Wieltje where the survivors were to remain in an exposed position for 5 days until relieved.

It was on this day that Joseph Cleton was killed. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate, in Ypres.

Newspaper Cuttings

None.