From Private To Colour Sergeant.

British War Medal 1914 - 1920.
Victory Medal.
1998 A. C. Sjt. S. L. Clements, 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles).

Sidney Leopold Clements was born in Forest Gate, Essex, and is listed on the 1901 Census as a 16 year old clerk, living with his father Stephen, a 55 year old stationer, and his siblings, Ethel (18), Olive (14) and Stafford (13). The family home was an 8 room dwelling at 39 Windsor Road, Forest Gate. The 1911 Census records Sidney as still living at home with his father. Interestingly, his occupation is given as registrar to the North Western Uruguay Railway Company.

On the day following the outbreak of the Great War, Sidney Clements presented himself at Somerset House in order to enlist in the 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles). His attestation papers note that he had previously served as a territorial soldier with the same Regiment. The papers describe him as 5' 9" tall and of good physical development.

On the 17th of March 1915, the 1/15th Londons landed in France and, as a member of the original Battalion, Sidney Clements became one of the "17th of March Men", henceforth the proudest title bestowed on the men of the Civil Service Rifles. Sidney served on the Western Front until late November 1915, when he was admitted to the 1st Canadian General Hospital at Etaples. He was suffering from jaundice.

On the 7th February 1916, Sidney Clements rejoined the 1/15th Battalion and now began his rapid rise through the ranks. He was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal on 3rd March and paid Lance Corporal a week later. He was promoted to Corporal on 6th April, appointed Lance Sergeant on 25th July and promoted to Sergeant on 4th September.

There followed another spell in hospital, this time in England at the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington. Sidney was suffering from leg ulcers and although they rapidly improved with treatment, he had to stay in hospital for two months. Discharged from hospital on 25th November 1916, Sidney joined the 15th London Regiment's Depot and stayed in England until being posted back to the 1/15th Battalion on 17th July 1917.

On 22nd September, he was appointed Acting Colour Sergeant. Apart from two weeks' leave to England in early September 1918, Sidney would serve the rest of the war on the Western Front with the 1/15th Londons. He was appointed Acting Company Quartermaster Sergeant on 9th January 1919, and finally sent back to England to be demobbed a month later. He was discharged from the army on 12th March 1919. On the 2nd July 1921, Sidney Clements received the two medals shown here. 

 

When the history of the Civil Service Rifles came to be written after the war, Captain P. Davenport, M.C., who chronicled the deeds of the 1/15th Battalion, acknowledged his indebtedness to several gentlemen, including S. L. Clements, who had helped in the preparation of the work. Sadly, as recorded in the National Probate Calendar of England and Wales, Sidney Leopold Clements of Barcombe, St Brannock's Road, Ilfracombe, Devonshire died on 22nd December 1933 at the Devon Mental Hospital, Exminster, Devonshire. His effects, valued at £434 2s 4d, were left to his widow, Clarissa Isobel Clements.

Wounded At The Butte De Warlencourt.

Victory Medal.
4756 Pte. E. L. Sackett, 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles).

Edward Leslie Sackett, the son of Edward and Rose Ellen Sackett, was born on 29th May 1896 in Blackheath, London. A daughter, Gladys Winifred, was born to the couple the following year. By the time of the 1901 Census, the family were living at 179 Horncastle Road, Skirbeck, Boston, Lincolnshire, where Edward's father was working as a tailor's cutter. Ten years later, as recorded on the 1911 Census, the family, now consisting of Edward (36), Rose (36), Edward (14), Gladys (13) and their third child, Sidney Charles Norman (8), were living at 93 Victoria Road, Charlton. In June 1912, young Edward joined the Post Office as a boy clerk, and achieved advancement to assistant clerk in December 1913 and clerk in May 1915.

Like many young men of his generation, Edward joined the army, enlisting in the 15th London Regiment (Civil Service Rifles) at Somerset House on 22nd November 1915. His Attestation Papers state his age as 19 years 6 months and record that he had blue eyes, a pale complexion, dark brown hair, "fair" physical development and that he was 5' 7" tall. On enlistment, Edward had signed Army Form E.624, agreeing "to serve in any place outside the United Kingdom." On 5th May 1916, he sailed from Southampton to Havre on his way to join the 1/15th Londons on the Western Front.

Edward joined the Battalion on 29th May, shortly after their involvement in some minor operations on the Vimy Ridge in which the Battalion, particularly 'B' Company suffered heavily. In late summer 1916, the 1/15th Londons moved to the Somme, taking part in two costly attacks, firstly at High Wood on 15th September and then at the Butte De Warlencourt on 7th October. In the words of the Regimental History "The losses on the 7th of October amounted to five officers, 344 other ranks, and although numerically they are not quite so great as at High Wood, it should be remembered that on this occasion the Battalion was not more than 500 strong at the outset." It was in this latter attack that Edward Sackett suffered a serious head wound causing a fracture of the skull. He spent ten days in hospital in France and was then evacuated back to England.

On his return, Edward was initially attached to the 15th London Regiment Depot but on 11th July 1917, he was transferred to the 616th (HS) Employment Company of the Labour Corps. He appeared before a medical board on 12th September 1917 and according to the report made at that time "On date mentioned he was wounded by a piece of HE shell which caused fracture and depression of skull (L. Frontal bone), was taken to No 2 General Hospital at Havre where he remained 10 days where a trepanning operation was performed and some pieces of bone removed. He was then taken to the Royal City of Dublin Hospital where he remained 9 weeks. An operation was done there to remove a small piece of metal from behind left ear. He was then discharged hospital and returned to this unit." The report continued "There is still a considerable depression at the site of the fracture. L. Frontal region. He is quite unfit for any exertion and gets quite giddy. No signs of paralysis and no history of it. Sight and hearing both good."

Edward Sackett was discharged from the army as "being no longer physically fit for war service" on 1st December 1917, having served for 2 years and 10 days. His Discharge Papers describe him as a "reliable and well conducted man." Three years after being wounded on the Somme, he was still suffering from headaches and giddiness, was categorised as having a 40% disability and was incapable of sustained work. Despite this, in 1923 he married Ethel Loten and lived to a ripe old age, finally passing away at the age of 94 in Southampton in February 1991.