Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Cecil Alfred Leonard Clitheroe (born Clitherow) was born to English parents, William and Rose (born Rosina Adams) Clitherow, actors, in Durban, Natal, South Africa on 17 July 1886. Cecil's place and date of birth have varied, by convenience, depending on the circumstances.

In June 1898, when Cecil, aged 11, and his elder brother, Graham, aged 14, born 1883, were returning to England by ship, Cecil was recorded as 10 yo, and Graham as being 12yo, because children 13yo or older were charged adult fares.

When Cecil was 22, he joined the Royal Field Artillery, Woolwich. He married 17yo Polly Williams recorded as 18yo, in 1909, and he recorded his age as 25 when he was only 22. When Cecil married Bertha Hallums in 1915, he changed the spelling of his name from "Clitherow" to "Clitheroe" he said he was 31 when he was 29 and declared Polly as deceased after he disserted her in 1911.

Only 6 weeks after marrying Bertha, Cecil spent the next two years with the Royal Field Artillery in France reaching the rank of Bombardier (Corporal) and wounded in the 1916 Battle of The Somme. He was honourably discharged after recovering from wounds in April 1917.

When Cecil and Bertha were living in Queensland, Australia, he joined 1 Garrison Infantry Battalion in WW2 giving his place of birth, wrongly, Sydney NSW, and date of birth 17 June 1895, because 1886 would have made him too old to enlist. By his death he had aged to 88 while passing as an 87yo.