BX June 12, 1916
Recent Battles at Ypres Salient Took Toll of Local Soldiers – Four Casualties Reported Over Weekend – Capt. J.E. Lattimer is a Prisoner of War, and Lance-Corp. John Jeakins, Private Thomas Charles Wright and Pte. William Andrew Clawsey Were Wounded in Desperate Fighting in Ypres Sector
In recent engagements with the enemy at Ypres a heavy toll was paid by the Canadians. This is only now beginning to come home and one of the heaviest casualty lists of the war was received yesterday. Three Brantford men were mentioned in yesterday’s list, and one was made known this morning.
Pte. W.A. Clawsey
Mrs. Sarah Clawsey, 23 Drummond Street, received a telegram from Ottawa this morning announcing that her son, Pte. William Andrew Clawsey, of the Mounted Rifles had been admitted to the 5th Northern General Hospital, Leicester, slightly wounded. Pte. Clawsey, whose cousin, Richard Clawsey, was killed in April, enlisted here with the 25th Brant Dragoons, being attached to the squadron of the C.M.R. of which Capt. J.E. Lattimer was in command, the captain now being a prisoner in Germany. Pte. Clawsey was employed at John Mann and Company’s brickyards before the war. He is 25 years of age.
BX June 17, 1916
Officially Reported
The wounding of Pte. William Andrew Clawsey, 13 Drummond Street, is officially reported in this morning’s casualty list. Word was received a few days ago by his parents that he had been wounded.
BX October 19, 1916
Invalided Men Are Coming Home
Privates E. Harrington, W. Clawsey, Fred Jefferis, and E. Wreaks Returning
Four Brantford soldiers who have been invalided home from the front are at the present time in Toronto on their way home. The men are: Pte. Ernest Harrington, 116 Walnut; William Clawsey, 23 Drummond; Fred Jefferis, 43 High and Edward Wreaks, 226 Park Avenue. The returned men are at present in the care of the Military hospital commission but are expected to leave for Brantford some day this week.
Pte. Harrington, went overseas with the First Contingent. He is an old Royal Navy man serving twelve years. He was wounded in April, 1915. Unmarried, 33 years of age and a laborer is what The Expositor records say about him.
Pte. Clawsey, 23 Drummond Street went overseas with a draft from the 25th Brant Dragoons in the 2nd Contingent, and was attached to a Canadian Mounted Rifle regiment. He was wounded on June 12 last.
The address of Pte. Fred Jefferis is given as 43 High Street, but was 30 High when he enlisted. He is a laborer by trade and a single man. For two years he was connected with the 38th D.R.C. and went across with the 1st Contingent.
No particulars as to who Edward Wreaks is, is to be found in the Expositor records.
BX October 21, 1916
Three Heroes Came Home
Unheralded, three more Brantford heroes slipped quietly into the city yesterday morning. As Pte. William Andrew Clawsey, one of them, this morning expressed it; they came in just as they wanted to, without any fuss being made. They arrived here on the G.T.R. and only their immediate relatives were aware of the fact that they were coming home so soon, although it was known locally that they had reached Toronto. Accompanying Private Clawsey were Privates Ed Wreaks and Ernest Harrington.
Pte. Clawsey this morning, as is customary with the returned soldiers, was very reticent as to happenings on the field of battle. It is just two years ago that he left Brantford with the 4th C.M.R., and since that time he spent nine consecutive months in the trenches, escaping without injury until the memorable battle of Ypres on June 1 of this year, when he suffered the injuries which were responsible for his return home.
On that eventful day a shell exploded near him, although he escaped being hit he was severely shocked, and although he continued for five days longer at the end of that time one of his knees gave out and he had to leave the scene of action for a hospital. The knee swelled so badly that the trousers had to be cut off his leg, and it was later discovered that the pallet of the knee had dropped. Since that time he has been in hospitals and convalescent home practically all the time where the treatment received resulted in almost a complete recovery of the injured limb.
The 4th C.M.R., stated Pte. Clawsey, were nearly all gone now, those who had not been killed were now prisoners of war, having been captured by the Germans at the battle of Ypres on June 2, along with their C.O., Lieut.-Col. Usher.
Pte. Clawsey is a cousin of Richard Clawsey who was killed in action last April. He resides with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Clawsey on Drummond Street. “The trip from England was made in four days and no submarines were sighted,” he stated this morning, adding that he was glad to be back in Brantford again.
