CLAY, Herbert George
| Service Number: | 1460 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 December 1914, at Oaklands |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Radstock, Somerset, England, 1879 |
| Home Town: | Parkside, Unley, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | House decorator |
| Died: | Pneumonia, 1 May 1920, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1460, 10th Infantry Battalion, at Oaklands | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 1460, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 1460, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Herbert George Clay (who enlisted under the name John Fisher) was born in the year 1879 in a town called Radstock in Somerset, England. Prior to the war, he worked as a house decorator. This involved painting, woodwork, and furniture inside the house. In his enlistment sheet, it also said that he had no experience in serving the army.
Herbert George Clay said that he wasn’t married and had no children, though later in the war it was discovered that he was married and had children. His wife was referred to as Mrs. M. Clay. Wife and she was living at 9 Mulgrave st Wellington New Zealand. Though after all these years their house has now become a court and justice center. Herbert George Clay also had a brother and a sister. It doesn’t tell us what their names are though it does indicate that his sister is married as she is referred to as Mrs. Rowley. The letters that were either sent to his sister or brother all went to the location of 54 Newfoundland st st pauls Bristol England.
It is not clear why he gave a false name to enlist.
On the 15th of December 1914, John Fisher (name in the army) enlisted at Oaklands, South Australia to go to war. His journey to war began from Adelaide to Melbourne. Then a departure from Melbourne to Gallipoli, Turkey on the 19th of February 1915 on board the HMAT A54 Runic. He joined the 10th battalion as a private on 7th May 1915 on Gallipoli.
On the day 13th July 1915 John Clay was wounded in his left arm severely. On that day the 10th battalion was taking over for the 11th battalion at 9 am. It said that the section or defense was held by their battalion. It also stated that that they dug 5 trenches.
After he got the gunshot wound, the wound was recorded to case the great limitation of movement in the left shoulder as a result of the bullet passing through the head of the deltoid muscle. The Deltoid Muscle is also thickened and very bloated.
As his wound was very serious and couldn’t be fully treated at Gallipoli, he was transferred to a big hospital for soldiers in Malta. Several weeks later on 29th August he was moved from Malta to London. He was admitted to the military hospital Bethnal Green in London on 14th September. However, it was judged he would not be able to fight again so on 11th March 1916 he embarked to return to Australia. He was discharged in Australia on 19th June 1916 and he was in treatment for 43 days.
After John Fisher was discharged, he spent some time in the hospital though after a while he was discharged. On 14th April 1920, he admitted that his real name was Herbert George Clay. As a response to this Mis M Clay admitted that she knew Herbert George Clay changed his name to join the army. Mis M Clay didn’t come to Australia with him as she thought Australia was too hot and so she stayed in New Zealand. She had repeatedly asked for John Fisher to come to New Zealand but he refused. In the letter that Mis M Clay wrote, she also requested that the army should contact Mrs, Whitington, Victoria Avenue, Unley Park SA. Along with Rev. James Hayrides who was the rector of Marden Church, Payneham.
He wqas admitted to hospital with pneumonia in early 1920 and died on the 1st of May 1920 at the age of 41. In a letter to his sister, it said that he was seriously ill with pneumonia though it was probably the Spanish flu.
After the war, he received 1914-15-star, British war medal, and a victory medal.