Family :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

The Battle of the Somme 1st July - 18th November 1916 is inevitably characterised by the appalling casualties (60,000) on the first day, July 1st 1916. Having failed to break through the German lines in force, and also failed to maximise opportunities where success was achieved, the battle became a series of attritional assaults on well defended defence in depth. The battle continued officially until 18th November 1916 costing almost 500,000 British casualties. German casualties were about the same, and French about 200,000. The Somme could not be counted a success in terms of ground gained or the cost, but it had a strategic impact as it marked the start of the decline of the German Army. Never again would it be as effective whilst the British Army, learning from its experience eventually grew stronger to become a war winning army. The German High Command recognised that it could never again fight another Somme, a view that advanced the decision to invoke unrestricted submarine warfare in an attempt to starve Britain of food and material, and in doing so accelerated the United States declaration of war thus guaranteeing the eventual outcome. 287 Brethren were killed on the Somme in 1916.

Detail :

Clement EVERARD was a 36 year old married man from Bristol. The 9th Foresters were in 33 Bde of 11 Div and during September 1916 had moved into the front line South of Thiepval preparatory to the Battle of Thiepval Ridge later in the month. EVERARD was KIA by enemy shellfire with four other ranks. CWGC record his death as 7 Sept 1916 and 9th Forester War Diary as 8 Sept. He arrived at the Battalion on 17/6/1916 according to the offical list however 17/6/1916 was the day the Battalion received its orders to proceed to France. It is likely that he actually joined them at Arras on their return from Egypt on 1st July 1916. The Battalion moved into trenches at 3 am on 6th, in the front line south of Thiepval on the left of the Albert - Bapaume Road, near Mouquet (Mucky) Farm. They had only arrived on the Somme from Arras on 2nd September. He was killed by shell fire along with 4 ORs. The German shell fire was particularly heavy during this period of trench holding.

Masonic :

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