BARCLAY, Lieutenant Clifford Clapcott

Lieutenant Clifford Clapcott BARCLAY

Canterbury Infantry Battalion NZEF

By Ian Curtis

¹

‘He was a very capable and popular officer and fought well under most trying circumstances’ ²

Clifford Clapcott Barclay was born on 25 April 1893 at Waimate, Canterbury, a town on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island. He was the elder son of Herbert Clifford Barclay and Ruth Annie (née Clapcott). He had an older sister Dorothy and two younger siblings – Ruth (known as Marjory),³ and George.

Herbert Clifford and Ruth Annie were married at St Paul’s Cathedral Dunedin on 30 September 1890, by The Venerable Archdeacon George Barclay (brother of Herbert) assisted by The Reverend Mr Yorke.

Ruth, who was born on 3 June 1867 in Otago, was the second daughter of Henry Clapcott Esq, BA (Cambridge) of Halfway Bush, a suburb of Dunedin. He was a businessman and trustee of the Dunedin Savings Bank. In the role of politician, he was the elected member for Wakatipu in the Provincial Council of New Zealand.

He married Mary Jane (née Power) in 1858. She gave birth to a son on 27 October 1859, but died a week later; the baby died on 13 November.

On 18 January 1862, Henry Clapcott married Annie Harriet (née Bedborough) at Dunedin.

Herbert Clifford Barclay (the father of Clifford) was one of the first two New Zealand-trained doctors to be appointed to hospital service. In 1889, Dr HC Barclay and Dr GA Copland, graduates of Otago Medical School, were registered on 1 May and appointed to the staff of Dunedin Hospital.

Herbert was surgeon-superintendent at Waimate Hospital between 1890 and 1914 and in 1891 was appointed public vaccinator for Waimate. He was surgeon-captain with Waimate Rifles Volunteers, appointed captain on 10 April 1901 and between 1898 and 1900, was mayor of Waimate.

He transferred to the 2^nd South Canterbury Regiment on 28 February 1911 and was promoted major on 17 March. During his service with the New Zealand Territorials he received medals representing five long service awards. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 21 March 1914 and then worked with the Russian Red Cross for four months at Warsaw from September 1914 to January 1915. He had a profound admiration for the people of Russia, though not necessarily for the government.

Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Clifford Barclay, MB ChB NZ 1889, MD NZ 1891, MRCS LRCP 1896, FRCSEd 1896.

(Source: The Barclays in South Canterbury)

Herbert was appointed to the Royal Army Medical Corps from 1915 until the end of the war, retiring on 4 July 1919, which saw him provide a total commissioned service of 21 years 46 days. After the war he practised in London, then in Kent before relocating to Hampshire after 1923.⁴ His name was removed from the New Zealand Medical Register in 1921. Herbert never returned to New Zealand. He passed away on 1 December 1932 and was buried at Pine Road Cemetery, Hampshire, England. His wife Ruth passed away 26 November 1938 at her residence, Onslow House, St Kilda, Dunedin. She was cremated two days later.

Clifford was educated at Waimate and Waitaki High Schools where he was recognised as a very good rifle shooter, winning a number of shooting medals and gaining the rank of sergeant during his five years with high school cadets. After leaving school, he obtained employment as a stock agent with the auctioneering and commercial firm, Guinness Le Cren in Shearman Street, Waimate. Clifford joined the 13^th (North Canterbury and Westland) Regiment ⁵ and was appointed 2^nd Lieutenant on 18 April 1913. In December, due to a change of residence, he transferred to the 2^nd (South Canterbury) Regiment.

The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was formed on 7 August 1914, when the New Zealand Government cabled the Imperial Government in London offering the services of the headquarters staff and personnel of a division of two brigades, one of mounted rifles and the other of infantry. The offer was accepted on 14 August and mobilisation began immediately. Major General Sir Alexander John Godley, KCMG, CB was appointed to command the Division.⁶

Clifford was one of the early volunteers. The infantry brigade was recruited on a Territorial basis. The Canterbury Battalion consisted of the 1^st Canterbury, 2^nd South Canterbury, 12^th Nelson and 13^th North Canterbury and Westland Regiments.⁷ The battalion strength was 33 officers and 977 other ranks, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Douglas McBean Stewart who at the time was commanding officer of 1^st Canterbury Regiment. Clifford was appointed lieutenant in August 1914 in the 2^nd (South Canterbury) company which was commanded by Major David Grant. Clifford stood 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighed 141 pounds and had a fair complexion. At the time of appointment he was 21 years 4 months, Presbyterian faith and had a small scar over his right eye.

Addin

Major David Grant and subalterns at Addington, September 1914.

L to R , back row: Lieut Francis Maurice, Lieut Clifford Barclay Lieut John Hill: Front Row: Lieut Douglas Fraser, Major David Grant, Lieut Raymond Lawry. (South Canterbury Museum)

Training began at Addington showgrounds immediately the troops marched in, with the bulk of the training carried out by the officers and non-commissioned officers of the battalion. At the beginning of September, bad weather made the showground camp uninhabitable, so the battalion moved to the adjacent ground of the Metropolitan Trotting Club. On 7 September they moved again, this time to the Plumpton Park Trotting Ground at Stockburn. They remained there until 23 September, when at noon, they entrained and travelled to Lyttelton, from where they embarked on HMNZT 11 Athenic, bound for the harbour at Wellington.

The departure date from New Zealand for the Expeditionary Force was postponed due to the presence in the South Pacific of enemy warships and the lack of a naval escort sufficiently powerful to protect the transports.

The escort ships arrived on 14 October and the New Zealand fleet left Wellington Harbour at 6am on 16 October. The fleet called at Hobart on 21 October before steaming to Albany, Western Australia. On the morning of 1 November, the Australian and New Zealand transports put to sea. There was widespread expectation that the destination would be England.

The convoy arrived at Alexandria on 3 December and the New Zealand force was ordered to camp at Zeitoun, four miles from Cairo. When the first troops arrived, they found that the camp existed in name only. During December, training and many ceremonial parades were held. By the end of January, the troops were well advanced in their training and the New Zealand Infantry Brigade was considered fit to support the 11^th (Indian) Division, which was holding the defence of the Suez Canal.

The New Zealand Brigade was divided into two portions, with the headquarters and the Auckland and Canterbury Battalions being sent to Ismailia, on Lake Timsah, midway between Port Said and Suez. The remaining battalions went to El Kubri, near Suez. The troops entrained at Palais de Koubbeh and Helmieh stations on 26 January and reached their destination the same day.

Clifford’s 2^nd South Canterbury company was stationed at Ismailia Ferry Post as a general reserve. On 3 February the expected attack was made by the Turkish forces on other posts along the defence lines.

Although the Turks were found to be entrenched about half a mile to the east, no attack was made on the Ismailia Ferry Post, but the New Zealanders were exposed to shellfire during the day. On the night of 3 February, a half-hearted attack was made by the Turks, after which they withdrew the bulk of their forces to Kataib El Kheil.

No further attacks were made on the Suez Canal, but the battalion remained in garrison of its posts until 8 February when it was relieved by the 1^st Australian Brigade. The battalion remained in the canal area, manning a few posts north of Ismailia, but continued training until 26 February, when it returned to Zeitoun.

The New Zealand and Australian Division, under the command of Major General Sir Alexander Godley, was part of the force entrusted to attack the defences of the Dardanelles. The main fleet of transports left Alexandria at 6pm Monday 12 April and entered Mudros harbour, on the island of Lemnos, early in the morning of 15 April with Clifford’s company travelling on Lutzow. The time at Mudros was spent in company and battalion training ashore and practising boat drill in preparation for the landing.

The Australian Division, under the command of Major General William Bridges sailed from Mudros harbour on the afternoon of 24 April and arrived at the Gallipoli shore at dawn on Sunday, 25 April 1915. Meanwhile, the first transports of the New Zealand and Australian Division left Lemnos at 1am and Lutzow with Clifford’s company arrived off Anzac Cove at 7am. Due to the confusion caused by the alteration of the landing place and the casualties incurred, the first troops of the Canterbury Battalion did not leave the ship until 10am. Disembarkation was completed by 12.30pm and although the landing was made under shrapnel fire, no casualties were incurred.

Clifford’s battalion was immediately ordered to reinforce the left flank of the 3^rd Australian Brigade and to fill the gap between the flank and the sea. There was much confusion while the order was being carried out and thus, the two Canterbury companies became mixed.

Lieutenant Colonel Stewart with Clifford’s company got well forward and took up a position on the upper portion of Walker’s Ridge, which ran north-east from Pope’s Hill down to the sea and immediately, they became involved in heavy fighting.

Lieutenant Colonel Stewart, who went back to bring up reinforcements, collected a large group of Australians. Being at that time in an exposed position, he was killed while leading the Australians up to the firing line. There, Clifford’s company and the Australian reinforcements repulsed with bayonets, three Turkish attacks. They then withdrew slightly to more suitable ground, where they dug in.⁸

The casualties of the Canterbury Battalion on the day of landing totalled 198, including one officer missing, Lieutenant CC Barclay.⁹

Clifford’s official records show that on his 22^nd birthday, 25 April 1915, he was recorded as ‘Wounded and Missing’.

It was not until 16 January 1916 that an official Court of Enquiry was held at Ismailia by the New Zealand Infantry Brigade headquarters. Lieutenant Clifford Barclay was officially recorded as dead, causes unknown.

Of interest is a letter from Private W O’Brien to his relatives in New Zealand, written on 21 May 1915 from hospital in Alexandria, which reads in part; ‘I suppose you know that Lieutenant Barclay, from Waimate, was killed the first day.’ ¹⁰

Lieutenant Colonel Albert Edward Loach (Canterbury Battalion) wrote; ‘He was a very capable and popular officer and fought well under most trying circumstances’. Lieutenant Still said, ‘I have met some of Lieutenant Barclay’s men; they give glowing accounts of how bravely he led them into action; his bravery and coolness under fire was wonderful. We are all proud that he was one of us.’ ¹¹

Also revealed later was a strange account that while in Egypt, Clifford had been told by a fortune-teller that he would be killed on his next birthday, which happened to be 25 April 1915. On the eve of the landing at Gallipoli, he said goodbye to each man in his platoon, telling them that he would be killed next day and sure enough the prophecy was fulfilled. ¹²

Lieutenant Clifford Clapcott Barclay has no known grave and is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial (panel 73) at Gallipoli with so many other Anzacs. He is also remembered at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Wall of Memories.

Waimate World War 1 Memorial. Clifford Clapcott Barclay is listed on the left-hand side panel (Source: nzhistory.govt.nz)

Clifford is remembered on the Waimate World War I memorial and also on the Te Kuiti World War I memorial. It is presumed that because his job as a stock agent for Guinness Le Cren took him to Te Kuiti on many occasions, he was sufficiently well regarded by the community to be listed on their memorial, although he had no family links to the town. He is also remembered on the memorial wall, Timaru, and at St Augustine’s Church as G C Barclay [sic].

In memory of her son Clifford, Mrs Ruth Barclay donated a stained-glass memorial which was unveiled on Anzac Day 1926 at St Augustine’s Anglican Church, Waimate. The window (in two panels), manufactured by the London firm Morris & Company, depicts young Galahad in a scene from Tennyson’s epic poem “Idylls of the King” (1869). The figure of the knight was recognised as the embodiment of heroism and devotion to a righteous cause.¹³

Lieutenant Clifford Clapcott Barclay’s Memorial Plaque is proudly on display at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum.

Lest we Forget

References

www.paperspast.narlib.govt.nz

Evening Star, 21 September 1897 page 2

nzhistory.govt.nz

En.wikipedia.org

www.aucklandmuseum.com

sites.rootsweb.com/~nzlscant/Barclay-htm The Barclays in South Canterbury

www.100nzmemorials.blogspot.com

nzetc.victoria.ac.nz – The History of the Canterbury Regiment NZEF 1914-1919

New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Form No 2 Clifford Clapcott Barclay

New Zealand Defence Force Form No 4, Appointment of Territorial Officer, Clifford Clapcott Barclay

New Zealand Military Forces Form R 68 Officers (Territorial Forces) Transfer 1268

Brereton Major C B, Tales of Three Campaigns 

Endnotes

1. Auckland War Memorial Museum
2. UK, De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914-1919 Volume 2, page 19
3. Marjory became the first registered female doctor on 3 May 1897 in New Zealand. She graduated with MB ChB from Otago Medical School and specialised in diagnostic radiology. She passed away in 1978.
4. The Barclays in South Canterbury
5. The regiment was formed in 1911
6. The History of the Canterbury Regiment, Chapter 1
7. Ibid.
8. The History of the Canterbury Regiment, Chapter 3
9. Ibid.
10. Canterbury Times 7 July 1915, page 56
11. UK, De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour 1914-1919, Volume 2, page 19
12. Brereton, page 121
13. The Barclays in South Canterbury Additional information was gained after a phone call to the Vicar of St Augustine’s Church, Waimate, with an extract from The Anglican Church in Waimate 1844-1972 by The Reverend LE Cartridge and D Kenyon.

“In January 1972, Professor KL Goodwin of the University of Queensland came to New Zealand to look for examples of stained-glass windows made by the English firm of Morris and Company and one of its leading designers, Sir Edward Burne-Jones. So far as Professor Goodwin knows, St Augustine’s, Waimate is one of only four churches in this country with such windows. Although many hundreds of churches in England contain glass by this firm, only eight of their windows came to New Zealand, and two of these are in St Augustine’s. Professor Goodwin came to Waimate and identified the windows on either side of the sanctuary in St Augustine’s as having been designed and manufactured by Morris and Company. The window on the north side of the sanctuary depicts Sir Galahad’s vision of the Holy Grail, the cup used at the Last Supper… The window consists of two separate panels or “lights”…. Professor Goodwin said that the design was based on part of a set of tapestries designed by the famous English artist, Sir Edward Burne-Jones. The tapestries depicted six scenes from the legend of the Holy Grail, of which the scene in this window is one.”

ANZAC Biographies

On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection on display at the Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum, Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.