SYDNEY CLARIDGE

Private Sydney Thomas Claridge was the cousin of the three Claridge brothers from Chapel Street who died in World War I. He worked on the family farm in Claridge's Road before he enlisted in November 1915. Sydney had had a long and colourful service career. Despite his Canterbury roots, he was posted to the Auckland Infantry Regiment. He began his active military service in July 1916, but just prior to the Somme battles, he was admitted to hospital suffering from diarrhoea and bronchitis. He was evacuated to England for a lengthy convalescence, and possibly as a result of boredom, had several encounters with the military authorities. While based in Codford in February 1917, he was required to forfeit four days' pay for being absent without leave and attempting to falsify documents to conceal this. Later in the year, he contracted gonorrhoea. Whilst recovering from this affliction, he was twice docked three days' pay for “conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline, i.e. gambling.” He finally returned to his battalion at the end of August 1918, and on 12 October, he was wounded in both knees. Attempts to save him at the Casualty Clearing Station and the hospital at Rouen were unsuccessful. He died from his wounds on 16 November 1918 and is buried in the St Sever Cemetery Extension at Rouen (see illustration below) and like his cousins is also commemorated on the Harewood School memorial.

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