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Cecil William Clifton - Information

As the war was raging, Cecil William Clifton was living in Camden and working as a bread carter. Cecil was born in Camden on the 6th of December 1897 to William and Kathleen Clifton. As Cecil grew up, he completed 4 years service in the cadets and 2 years with the 43rd Infantry. When he was 20 years old, he decided to enlist in the AIF on the 1st of February 1918 in Sydney. Cecil trained at the Royal Showground Camp, and then at the M & D Depot in Liverpool. While he was in camp, Cecil was admitted to the Field Hospital, which delayed his deployment. He embarked Sydney on the SS Field Marshal on the 19th of June 1918, as a Private with the NSW General Service Reinforcements.

The Field Marshal sailed into London in late August, and the troops scuttled off to the 14th Training Battalion. However, he was still completing exercises in England when the Armistice was announced on the 11th of November. On the 25th of January 1919, he left Southampton for France. A week later, he was taken on strength to the 13th Battalion. Then in March, he was assigned for duty with the Australian Graves Detachment. Cecil’s job was to bury and re-inter bodies along the Western Front. This was the start of a very long process in developing the war cemeteries that can be found in France, Belgium and the Middle East today. He continued his duty until he began his voyage to Australia on the Port Decision on the 25th of September 1919.

He was discharged in December, and returned to his family in Camden. On the 23rd of April 1921, he married his sweetheart Irene Gladys Wheeler in Camden. Cecil and Irene began their lives together. However, this was cut short when Cecil passed away on the 28th of February 1938, only 40 years old.