C & T Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd
Los 104
A Great War 1914-15 Star Medal Trio and Memorial Plaque Group to a Private in the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, Killed in Action in 1917, 1914-15 star medal, “18357 L.CPL. H.R. CLIFFORD DURH. L.I.”, British War and Victory medals “18357 PTE. H.R. CLIFFORD DURH: L.I.” with bronze Memorial Plaque “HUGH RICE CLIFFORD”. Originally from Portobello, Midlothian, Hugh Clifford was a 29 year old miner living in Motherwell when he enlisted into the 13th Durham Light Infantry on 5th September 1914. He landed in France on 25th August 1915. His conduct sheets make interesting reading with 7 offences being recorded including 2 of drunkenness, 3 for being absent, 1 for loosing kit and 1 for disobeying an order, in total he received 17 days of field punishment No1 as well as fines and being confined to barracks. He was also accidently wounded on 6th September 1917 with a puncture wound to the left breast. Private Clifford was killed in action on 21st October 1917 when the battalion was in the front line to the east of Polygon Wood where, after a fairly quiet day they were heavily shelled in the evening resulting in 13 Other Ranks being killed and 13 wounded. His effects and medals were claimed by his sister, Hugh Rice Clifford is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial.
