A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Family group:

Three: Second Lieutenant T. E. Clatworthy, 37th Dogras, killed in action at the Battle of Shaikh Sa’ad, during the First Attempt to Relieve Kut, 6 January 1916

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut., 37-Dogras); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut.); together with memorial plaque (Thomas Eland Clatworthy); illuminated memorial scroll; and a quantity of original documentation, including numerous photographic postcards, many of which are annotated, all sent by recipient from India, circa 1915; original photographs of recipient in uniform; newspaper cuttings; etc.

Pair: Private H. E. Clatworthy, South Staffordshire Regiment, died in Germany as a prisoner of war, 3 October 1918

British War and Victory Medals (43564 Pte., S. Staff. R.); together with memorial plaque (Hugh Eland Clatworthy); illuminated memorial scroll; transmission slip and boxes of issue for medals; and a quantity of original documentation, including, ‘In Memoriam’ card, with photograph; and a quantity of original correspondence, including a number of letters from recipient to his parents, a couple of which were written whilst a p.o.w. in Germany; and several letters from fellow prisoners to his parents, generally extremely fine and an emotive selection of original documentation (7) £450-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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Thomas Eland Clatworthy was born in 1886, and educated at Sherborne School. He served in the ranks of the 1/5th Somerset Light Infantry at Ambala, India, until receiving a commission in the Indian Army in July 1915. He was killed in action at the Battle of Shaikh Sa’ad, during the First Attempt to Relieve Kut, 6 January 1916, and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq.

The following is extracted from a modern typed transcript of a letter, this letter originally written by Lieutenant Goodland to Thomas Clatworthy’s parents: ‘...On January 5th our cavalry scouts came in touch with the enemy. We knew that very soon the infantry would be in action. Early the next day (the day of Tom‘s death) we marched out of bivouac and I waved Tom a greeting, this was the last I saw of him. We were soon advancing in extended order against very heavy shrapnel fire. The 37th were on the left, we were on the right, the 102nd in support, and the 97th in reserve. We were unable to make much headway and I afterwards heard that whilst lying down with his Company Commander, and waiting for the next opportunity to advance, a shell burst over the left wing of our front line killing Tom and wounding his C.O. I think Tom must have died immediately, as the shrapnel bullet entered his forehead. I am sure he did not live to suffer for any length of time. He was buried on the field of battle, a spot on the left of the bank of the Tigris, midway between Ali Garbhi and Shaikh Sa’ad, a soldier‘s grave...’

Hugh Eland Clatworthy joined the colours in May 1917, and crossed to France on Easter Day 1918. He was taken prisoner of war on 27 May 1918 and died in Darmstadt Prisoner of War Hospital, Germany on 3 October 1918, aged 19 years.

The following is extracted from a letter written to his father by a fellow patient at Darmstadt P.O.W. Hospital, the original of which is included with the lot: ‘...Perhaps you already know that when we were taken prisoner we were kept working behind the German lines. The food was scant, of poor quality, and the work very hard. Under the share the strongest of men soon broke down and illness was our only hope of reaching Germany where we hoped for better food and treatment.

I was sent on my way to Germany on August 19th and reached Darmstadt on September 1st, being delayed at Freton Hospital for some days. I am telling you all this so that you would understand how your boy would reach hospital, as we all had about the same experience.

About the middle of September your son arrived at hospital. He seemed such a young lad... He did not seem to be so very ill, and seemed to have a better time than some of us, his clothing and boots being in good condition.

The doctor marked him as suffering from ‘Lungen Catarrh’. He also suffered from diarrhoea which I believe caused his death. Always he was told to keep spitting but seemed unable to do this. This seemed to point to severe lung trouble... Your boy was always so brave and chirpy and one day as he and I were talking to a Frenchman he told us (and very much enjoyed the joke) that he had never been in the line in action, being taken prisoner on his way to the trenches for the first time...’