John Joseph Clayton was born in Erith in 1897, one of 6 children of Joseph (or “Theophilus”) and Johannah Clayton. Joseph snr was a bottle maker.
Young John Joseph was one of the first local men to enrol at the onset of war, at Woolwich on 8th August 1914.Aged just 17, his trade was given as “labourer”. We know a few details about him from his existing Service Records – he was just over 5ft 4 inches tall, with blue eyes and light brown hair. He was sent the same day for training at Guildford.
Serving with the 1st Battalion of the Royal West Surrey Regiment from the very start of the war, young John Joseph must have seen action in many of the most significant battles of the Western Front.
John was disciplined on a number of occasions. He was subjected to four days of Field Punishment No. 2 (being shackled for up to two hours a day) for indiscretions on three occasions in 1915, was confined to barracks for 10 days for “using obscene language” in January 1915 and again confined to barracks for 10 days in March 1916 for “making an improper remark to an NCO” and a further 10 days in August 1916 for an undisclosed offence. Despite these indiscretions he was appointed as a Lance Corporal in October 1916.
John had two spells in hospital. On 17th May 1915 he was wounded by gunshots to the left arm at the Battle of Festubert, He was returned home to England 3 days later for treatment, spent 7 weeks in hospital and rejoined his battalion in December. In November 1916 he was sent back to England again, suffering with ‘Myalgia” (a muscle disease) and spent a further two months in hospital.
He died in April 1917 aged just 20 – reported missing in action, his Service Records state: “Death presumed”…”Death accepted for official purposes on or since 23/4/1917”.
John Joseph Clayton is commemorated at the Arras Memorial in northern France (Bay 2), along with 35,000 other Allied soldiers who have no known grave.
His mother, living at 40 Commondale Road Welling, part of the Hutments estate, received news of his death. Presumably unable to write, she simply signed her son’s various forms with “her mark”.
John Clayton was crossed off the list for the original East Wickham War Memorial as his address was stated at ‘The Huts’ (i,e, the Hutments) but was added to the tablet in the Memorial Hall in the 1930s. The Trust will be adding his name to the East Wickham and Welling War Memorial over the centenary period.
Commemorated
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This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to John Joseph Clayton, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.