WILLIAM CLARKSON

The first of the Papanui men to die helping stem the German March offensive was Lance Corporal William Clarkson, who had a comparatively long and eventful military career. He had arrived in Gallipoli in July 1915 aged 20, where he had been wounded on the foot two days' after landing there. After recovery, he returned to Gallipoli in September, and in November he contracted jaundice. He was returned to Egypt, where he recovered and was sent with the Division to France. On 19 September, he suffered a gunshot wound to his face, and spent some time recovering from this experience. He rejoined the 1st Battalion of the Canterbury Infantry Regiment in January 1917 and served at Messines. He was sent to a Reinforcement Camp. He was posted to the School of Instruction on 12 October, thus missing Passchendaele. Following this, he had been appointed to, then immediately relinquished, the post of Company Cook. He returned to his unit on 28 October and was wounded in the right hand in the battle at Polygon Wood on 3 December 1917, the same date he had been promoted to Lance Corporal. In January 1918 he was detached to the Brigade School and then sent to England on leave. He arrived back from leave at the end of February, was killed in action on 27 March 1918 and is commemorated at the Grevillers Memorial to the Missing.

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