CLAY, John

John Clay was born in Halesowen but was living in Birmingham in 1914. He volunteered for the Worcesters and joined the 1st Battalion. They were in the front line at Contalmaison during the first phase of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Although the attacks had died down by December there were still patrols and bombardment. The Worcesters were in the front line trenches near Combles on the 2nd January 1917 and it was here that Private John Clay was killed in action. He is buried at Combles Communal Cemetery (II C 2) and commemorated on the Halesowen Memorial.