Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.C. group of four awarded to Lieutenant John Richard Clements, Canadian Engineers, late Grenadier Guards

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (9001 Pte., Gren. Gds. M.I.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut) mounted for wear, good very fine (4) £1000-1200

M.C. London Gazette 8 March 1919.
Citation: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On the night of 8th/9th October, 1918, he was in charge of a party of sappers detailed to build a bridge over the Canal de l’Escaut to enable the infantry to cross to the attack. After man-handling general service wagons, loaded with material along a road under heavy fire, he pushed forward ahead and personally reconnoitred the bridge site. The bridge was completed under heavy shell fire, causing several casualties, and the infantry passed over it twenty-five minutes after the party arrived on the work.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 June 1917.
John Richard Clements was born in Battersea, Surrey, on 29 May 1880. A Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Grenadier Guards at Chichester on 14 July 1900. With them he served as Mounted Infantry in South Africa, November 1901-August 1902. He bought his discharge for £18 on 25 May 1903. Later emigrating to Canada; at the time of the Great War he was living with his wife at 45 Arthur Avenue, St. Thomas, Ontario. He enlisted into the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion at St. Thomas on 25 September 1915, giving his occupation as Brakeman and Boilermaker. With the Pioneers he proceeded to France, arriving there on 8 March 1916. He was appointed a Warrant Officer 2nd Class in June 1916. Clements was wounded on 15 August 1917 but was able to rejoin his unit on 29 September 1917. Posted to England in December 1917 he was commissioned a Temporary Lieutenant in the Canadian Engineers in May 1918 and returned to France joining the 6th Battalion Canadian Engineers in July. Awarded the Military Cross for his services at the Canal de l’Escaut in October 1918, he returned to England in April 1919 and to Canada in May 1919. Lieutenant Clements was discharged at Ottawa on 31 May 1919. He died on 19 March 1953.

With a quantity of copied service papers and other research.