Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery | I. D. 3. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.119 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 33B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Family :
Son of the Rev. Henry Williams and Margaret Williams. Born Bristol. Took the name of Clifford.Education & Career :
Marlborough College, and Emmanuel, Cambridge.
M.D., Guy's Hospital.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales' Own) |
3rd (Prince of Wales's) Dragoon Guards August 1914 : at Cairo in Egypt. Recalled to England, arrived at Liverpool on 18 October 1914. 31 October 1914 : landed in France and on 4 November under command of 6th Cavalry Brigade in 3rd Cavalry Division. |
| Action : The Battles of Ypres 1915 (Second Ypres) |
22 April - 25 May 1915. On the 22nd April 1915 the Germans used poison gas at Ypres. This was the first 'official' use of gas and took the Allies by surprise. After initial success capitalising on the confusion and horror of this weapon, a heroic stand, initially by the Canadians and then supported by British and Indian Battalions, held the German advance. However it became clear that the Germans had achieved a tactical advantage and eventually the British were forced to retire to more a more defendable perimeter closer to Ypres. These positions were on the last ridges before Ypres and their loss would have resulted in the loss of the town and possibly open the Channel coast to German occupation with disastrous consequences for the re-supply of the BEF.
Detail :
2/Lieutenant Anthony Clifford CLIFFORD 3rd Dragoon Guards Anthony Clifford CLIFFORD (formerly WILLIAMS) was the youngest son of the late Rev. Henrv Williams. M.A.. C.M.S. Missionary in India, by his wife Margaret. Born July 1888 and educated at St. Oswald's School, Clifton, and Marlborough following which he went to Emmanuel College. Cambridge. There he took the name of Clifford. He belonged to the university O.T.C., and after taking his degree went to Guy's Hospital in 1909 where he took his MA. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut. In the Reserve of Officers om 18th May 1912. At the outbreak of war he qualified as a doctor, but was called to active service and was attached to the 3rd Dragoon Guards and went to the Front as a machine gun officer and was killed in action at Hooge on the 2nd June. He was remounting his gun in a new position after the first position had been blown away when he was shot through the head and killed instantly. Trooper Spencer in a letter home wrote A hundred shells fell in about 20 minutes around our Maxin gun. Lt Clifford timed them as cool as a cucumber with hs watch in his hand. Our officers worked like heros, Captain Holt & Lt Clifford In the same action a fellow Freemason, Private Joseph Eden GILL of the same regiment was killed in action.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Earl of Mornington No. 2000 E.C. | London |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
22nd January 1915 | - | - |
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley