A fine Great War 1916 ‘French theatre’ M.M. group of seven awarded to Warrant Officer Class II W. E. Clapton, Army Cyclist Corps and Royal Tank Corps, who was present in a ‘bicycle on horse’ action in 1914, before serving in the Battle of Cambrai, and being severely wounded, 22 March 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (1206 Sjt: W. E. Clapton. A.C.C.); 1914 Star, with clasp (9428 Cpl. W. E. Clapton. 1/Shrops: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (9428 A.C. Sjt. W. E. Clapton. K.S.L.I.); Jubilee 1935; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (7868065 W.O. Cl. LI [sic] W. E. Clapton. M.M. R.T.C.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 3rd issue (7868065 W.O. Cl. 2. W. E. Clapton. M.M. R. Tks), mounted as originally worn, generally nearly very fine (7) £800-1200

M.M. London Gazette 11 October 1916.

William Ewart Clapton was born in Llanelly, Camarthenshire, in March 1890. He attested for the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry in 1910, and served during the Great War with the Regiment in the French theatre of war from 10 September 1914. Clapton advanced to Corporal, transferred to the Army Cyclist Corps, and carried out the following interview which appeared in the Cambria Daily Leader, 25 February 1915:

‘The adventures of the Headquarters Staff of the 6th Army Cyclist Corps were described to a “Leader” representative by Corporal Clapton, who has been home of furlough at Llanelly.

The civilian population of France, he stated, were very good to the British soldiers, meeting trains at wayside stations and supplying them with coffee, grapes, etc. In fact they could not do enough for the Tommies.

“On one occasion, we came across an advance party of German cavalry. The meeting was as unexpected to us as it was to them. Our party consisted on 100 cyclists, but the Germans thought we were a much stronger advance party and they retreated. Many of the Germans were taken prisoner. Some of them spoke English fluently, and for the first time realised they were fighting against the English. It came to them as a shock. The war had then been in progress well over a month.

At another village, in Flanders, we saw the Germans making a hasty retreat from the district. The villages were in an indescribable state, houses having been pillaged and burnt. In all directions property was recklessly destroyed, and everywhere we came across women and young girls who had been violated.... When in a village on the Aisne we found a baby about three months old stuck on the end of a German bayonet. A number of people in one village were shot for declining to assist in the blowing up of a bridge....

Spies were found everywhere. In one instance the Mayor of a French village was discovered to be in the pay of the enemy. A clever spy - a Frenchman with a wooden leg - rendered the Germans a lot of help until discovered. He had a steel spike in the wooden leg, and with this tapped the wires, having an instrument concealed under his clothing and a coil of wire.” ‘

Clapton advanced to Quarter Master Sergeant and was awarded the M.M. for his gallantry in 1916. He transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in 1917, and is recorded as having been recommended for the D.C.M. Later the same year, Clapton transferred to 2/Royal Tanks Corps, and ‘amongst those who have recently been home on leave from the front we noticed Sergt. W. E. Clapton, of Tank fame. This gallant N.C.O. is a soldier of whom Llanelly has every reason to be proud... on formation of the Tank Corps he immediately volunteered for service in this daring and dangerous branch of the service. He took part in the great Tank advance which preceded the battle of Cambrai last November...’ (Llanelly Star, 16 February 1918, refers)

Clapton was severely wounded, 22 March 1918, and continued to serve with the Royal Tank Corps until his eventual discharge, 13 February 1937. He died at Westminster Hospital, in January 1961.

Sold with the following related documents: three portrait photographs of recipient in uniform; Certificate of Discharge, and a file of copied research.