William Thomas (Paddy) CLANCY

CLANCY, William Thomas

Service Number: 3719
Enlisted: 12 August 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 13th Light Trench Mortar Battery
Born: Mount Barker, South Australia, Australia, 1890
Home Town: Mount Barker, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: 22 April 1952, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Mount Barker St. Francis De Sales Catholic Cemetery
Memorials: Mount Barker Soldiers' Memorial Hospital Roll of Honor
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World War 1 Service

12 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, 3719, 10th Infantry Battalion
2 Dec 1915: Involvement Private, 3719, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: RMS Malwa embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
2 Dec 1915: Embarked Private, 3719, 10th Infantry Battalion, RMS Malwa, Adelaide
29 Jul 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, 3719, 13th Light Trench Mortar Battery

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Biography contributed by Cornerstone College

It is likely William Thomas Clancy fought in the Somme, France and Flanders and then was gassed in Ypres. In Ypres the battlefield was through towns, or what was left. There was horrendous rain all through the war, so they were waist high in mud at some points. This was considered one of the worst places in the war. Bombs were flying everywhere; mustard gas was common and they introduced tanks to warfare. He also fought in many of the other places, fighting most places other than Gallipoli as he fought through the entire duration of the war. Everything would have taken a battering, with not having a moment to himself. He would possibly have had permanent ear damage after the war as there would have been constant gunfire and bombs exploding. Living in trenches the rotting bodies of dead soldiers would have created an unforgettable stench. Mud and dust would have been unsettled all the time so it would have been floating up into his eyes, impairing his eyesight. Because of the dead soldiers rats had a feast and some grew to be the size of cats. They foraged whenever they could and so when the soldiers were sleeping they ran over their faces and gave diseases. They couldn’t get rid of these smells however as they didn’t have time to be hygienic. It was impossible to get a quiet moment to yourself and just relax. Snipers were picking off undisciplined soldiers, so if you didn’t stay concealed and underground you could pay with your life. This meant that you had to have complete faith in the people digging the trenches. Lice lived all through the trenches, laying eggs in the soldiers clothes which caused illness or death.

William Thomas Clancy was born in Mt. Barker. Although he didn’t have an apprenticeship he had a job as a labourer. He was fit as he hadn’t ever been rejected from service. He was just over 23 years old when he enlisted for the war. He was 5ft 5, so very small. He was very light as well as he was only 54kg. He had grey eyes and was Roman Catholic.

His battalion fought in a lot of positions on both the western front and the middle east. He was gassed in 1917, so likely from sulfur mustard, or mustard gas in Ypres. Fortunately, this attack was not fatal. Mustard gas is a substance that was used frequently in 1917. When on exposed skin it leaves large blisters of different colours, and when breathed in it harms the lungs. He got 3 medals, the British war medal, the Victory medal and the 1914-1915 star medal. He probably travelled to Egypt, which was where the 10th battalion split into the 10th and the 50th battalion, after bringing in more recruits due to heavy losses at Gallipoli. This was probably where he joined the war.

The ship he left on was a standard ship, used for many journeys departing from different places. He participated in lots of separate fights, fighting in  different locations in the war. One thing you knew however was that the person next to you had your back. The Australian soldiers always looked out for each other and they wanted as many lives saved as possible. He had to endure severe cold, so water was difficult to get into there as a liquid form. This meant that he possibly had to go long periods of time without sufficient nutrients. Some people were sleeping huddled together as to protect themselves from the harsh climate.

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Biography contributed by Paul Lemar

Thomas was the son of John CLANCY & Margaret KELLY and was born in 1890 in Mt Barker, SA.

His parents were married on the 21st of July 1881 in Mt Barker, SA.

His father was the son of James CLANCY & Catherine GREEN and was born in 1853.
His mother was the daughter of Thomas KELLY and was born in 1861.

Thomas was the 3rd child born into this family of 6 children.

His father was employed by the Mt Barker Council.

Thomas was known as “Paddy” and after completing his early schooling he gained employment as a labourer.

It appears that his father suffered from the drink and in 1904 his mother applied for an order forbidding the supply of intoxicating liquor to his father for 12 months.

Unfortunately Thomas followed in his father’s footsteps and by 1912 was quite often arrested drunk in Mt Barler.

His brother John moved to Kalgoorlie as a miner for a short period and on the 8th of August 1915 he applied to join the AIF, but was rejected due to his bad teeth.

At the age of 23, Thomas enlisted into the AIF on the 12th of August 1915 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 3719 and posted to C Company, 2nd Battalion Depot in Mitcham Camp. He was then transferred to the 10th Battalion, 12th Reinforcements.
On Tuesday evening, the 30th of November it had been arranged by the Mount Barker Send-off Committee to publicly farewell Thomas. For that purpose the military authorities were approached and the committee was informed that Thomas might have special leave to enable him to attend even though he was to leave South Australia within the next few days.
The Hills Central Brass Band turned out and a large number of people gathered, but Thomas failed to put in an appearance.
The meeting was therefore abandoned but the Band rendered a program of music in the street which was appreciated by the people who remained.

Just before his departure from the State Thomas was made the recipient of a present by the sole leather department employees of Messrs. T. Paltridge & Sons Tannery. As he was unable to thank them personally he wrote to the Mt Barker Courier asking that his thanks be extended to the donors through the columns of the Courier.

Thomas embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Malwa on the 2nd of December 1915 and after spending Christmas on the voyage, disembarked in Egypt and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion at Aerodrome Camp.

After serving in France and being gassed Thomas finally embarked for Australia on the 18th of April 1919 on board HT Commonwealth, disembarking in Adelaide on the 8th of June.

In mid July a welcome home social was held for Thomas and 10 other returned soldiers by the Cheer-Up Society in the local Mt Barker Institute and they were presented with gold medals.

Thomas gained employment as a labourer and was discharged from the AIF on the 29th of July 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory medals.

His father died from a paralytic stroke on Tuesday morning, the 14th of September 1920.
They buried him in the Mt Barker Catholic Cemetery and A.W. Carr, was the undertaker.

After his fathers death his sister Emelda married Harold Ernest HURREN on the 15th of October 1921 and then Thomas’s mother went to live with them in Glanville.
Thomas, John & Hannah remained in Mt Barker and lived in Morphett Street.

His mother then died on the 11th of October 1928 in Glanville and they buried her in the Mt Barker Catholic Cemetery.

His brother then died on the 8th of January 1937 and they buried him in the M Barker Catholic cemetery.

After the war Thomas had suffered from the drink and was often arrested for drunkenness and indecent language in Mt Barker.
This behaviour then led to House breaking and larceny and on Thursday the 22nd of September Thomas was found guilty of this charge from an old age pensioner and was sentenced to 6 months in prison.

On his release he was subject to a prohibition order, but he continued his drinking and was further arrested over many years, resulting in several stints in the Mt Barker Police Cells.

Thomas died on the 22nd of April 1952 and was privately interred in the Mt Barker Catholic Cemetery.

The exact whereabouts of his grave is currently unknown, but investigations are still ongoing.

Military

At the age of 23, Thomas enlisted into the AIF on the 12th of August 1915 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 3719 and posted to C Company, 2nd Battalion Depot in Mitcham Camp.
He listed his father, of Mt Barker, SA, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of October he was transferred to the 10th Battalion, 12th Reinforcements.

Thomas embarked from Adelaide on board RMS Malwa on the 2nd of December 1915 and after spending Christmas on the voyage, disembarked in Egypt and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion at Aerodrome Camp.

After a further 2 months of training he was taken on strength with the newly raised 50th Battalion, in Serapeum, as part of the “doubling” of the AIF.
Approximately half of its recruits were veterans from the 10th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia. Reflecting the composition of the 10th, the 50th was predominantly composed of men from South Australia. The Battalion became part of the 13th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division and was dubbed "Hurcombe's Hungry Half Hundred", after its first CO, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe.

On the 5th of June they proceeded to France from Alexandria, disembarking in Marseilles 8 days later.
By the 1st of July they had moved to Fleurbaix and into the front line and after 10 days in the trenched they marched out to Bailleul then onto Heissart.

On the 30th of July at Heissart, Thomas went AWOL and was awarded 4 days Field Punishment No.2 and on the 1st of August they began their move to Brickfields for their first Battle.
They fought in their first major battle at Mouquet Farm between the 13th and 15th of August and suffered heavy casualties.
They then took part in another assault launched there on the 3rd of September and then spent the remainder of September and early October at Dickebusch with fatigue duty.

The Battalion saw out the rest of the year alternating between front-line duty and training and labouring behind the line in and around Fricourt.
By the 24th of November they had moved to Benafay Wood and Thomas suffered with a bruised knee and bursitis and was admitted into the 2nd General Hospital in Le Havre.

He was then discharged to No.4 Convalescent Depot on the 13th of December and 4 days later he was found drunk and forfeited 21 days pay.
Thomas spent Christmas 1916 here and didn’t rejoin his Battalion until the 17th of February 1917 at Perth Camp.

They then relieved the 51st Battalion in the front line and after 10 days they moved to Bazentin and then onto Buire for training.
Whilst here Thomas was charged with conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline, on the 13th of March, and awarded 2 days Field Punishment No.2.
On completion of his punishment he was detached to 13th Australian Light Trench Mortar Battery on the 16th.

Light Trench Mortar Batteries went where their parent Brigade went and their involvement in battles / campaigns reflected that of the Brigade.
Trench Mortar Batteries and Machine Gun Companies gave the Brigades their own integral fire support. The trench mortars were the Brigade's own ‘artillery’ and the soldiers were generally drawn from units within the Brigade.

Thomas then moved with his Battery and fought at Messines and Passchendaele and at Passchendaele on the 19th of October; Thomas suffered from gas poisoning and was admitted into the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station at Remy Siding, before being transferred to the 3rd General Hospital in Le Treport.
After 2 weeks he was discharged to the 3rd Convalescent Depot before rejoining his Battery on the 27th of November.

They then spent Christmas 1917 in the Moislains before preparing for their next major battle at Dernancourt.
This was the Second Battle of Dernancourt, near the River Ancre, which began on the 5th of April 1918.
Thomas and his Battery’s most notable action came during the Allied attack on Villers-Bretonneux on the 25th of April 1918, during the Second Battle of the Somme, that took place amidst the German Spring Offensive in early 1918.
After the German offensive was blunted, they undertook further actions as the Allies went on the offensive, launching their Hundred Days Offensive around Amiens in August.

Thomas was granted 2 weeks leave to England on the 9th of August and returned to his Battery who had moved into the Hindenburg Line.
On the 8th of November Thomas was admitted into the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance at Le Toile, suffering from a venereal disease.
He was then transferred to the 39th General Hospital in Le Havre, where he spent Christmas 1918 before being discharged to the Australian General Base Depot on the 4th of January 1919.

Thomas rejoined his Battery 10 days later, but then 2 weeks later he marched out for return to England as part of the 1915 draft.
He embarked for England on the 10th of February and marched into the 3rd Training Brigade in Hurdcott.
The following months Thomas went AWOL for 8 days and was forfeited 22 days pay.

Thomas embarked for Australia on the 18th of April 1919 on board HT Commonwealth, disembarking in Adelaide on the 8th of June.

Thomas was discharged from the AIF on the 29th of July 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory medals.

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