Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From François Berthout

Today, I would like to pay a very respectful tribute to Sergeant number 6089 Stanley James St Clair, one of my brave boys who fell in the Somme, he fought in the 37th Australian infantry battalion and was killed in action 102 years ago , on June 12, 1918 at the age of 30.

Stanley James St Clair was born on March 6, 1888 in Windsor, Victoria and had a brother, Charles St Clair. Before the war, Stanley was a missionary and lived in Corack Loose Bag via Donald, Buloke, Victoria.

Enlisted on April 15, 1916 in Melbourne, Victoria, as a private in the 7th Australian infantry battalion, 19th Reinforcement, he embarked with his unit from Melbourne, Victoria on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on July 28, 1916 for Plymouth, England on September 11 1916 where he received his training.he was then transferred to the 37th Australian infantry battalion in September 1916 and sailed for the western front in France in the Somme in November 1916.

Private Stanley James St Clair was appointed to Lance Corporal on March 1, 1917. He was wounded in action for the first time on June 8, 1917 and again in October 1917 but was able to rejoin his unit within two weeks on each occasion, he was then promoted to the rank of sergeant on 25 November 1917.

unfortunately, seven months later, Stanley met his fate and was killed in action as a result of own barrage (friendly fire) at Villers-Bretonneux,Somme, on June 12, 1918 at the age of 30.

Today, Stanley James St Clair rests in peace alongside his comrades at the Adelaide Cemetery, Villers-Bretonneux, Somme, united in eternal rest under the benevolent sun of the Somme.

with all my heart, Stanley, sir, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you have done here with your friends and comrades who fought and suffered together in the soaked and muddy trenches of the Somme, battlefields bruised by the chaos of war and an endless rain of shells, you have done your duty nobly and with bravery, fighting every day through an unnamed hell that we can only try to imagine but in which you fought.Today, 102 years after the day of your death, I walk in your footsteps with respect to know you better, to know who you were and what you and your brothers in arms have gone through, to know what you did for us, today I live in the Somme which is peaceful and I look at all these peaceful fields flowered by the bright red of poppies which grow on the old battlefields on which you and so many of your friends fell, I close my eyes in this silence and I can feel your presence, I see you crossing these fields, running and falling but I also see your bravery, I see young men, young faces who will always be in my heart, you are my boys of the Somme, my heroes, each of you are and will always be heroes and I will always be present to honor your memory and to make shine the flame of Remembrance. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember him, we will remember them🌺

"...6089 Sergeant Stanley James St Clair, missionary, of Corack via Donald, Victoria. He enlisted as a Private in the 7th Battalion on 15 April 1916 and embarked aboard HMAT Themistocles on 28 July 1916 for Plymouth, England. He was transferred to the 37th Battalion in September 1916 and sailed for the Western Front in France in November 1916. Private St Clair was appointed to Lance Corporal on 1 March 1917. He was wounded in action for the first time on 8 June 1917 and again in October 1917 but was able to rejoin his unit within two weeks on each occasion. Lance Corporal St Clair was promoted to Sergeant on 25 November 1917. Sgt St Clair was killed in action near Villers Bretonneux on 12 June 1918 as a result of 'own barrage' [friendly fire]. He was aged 30 years..." - SOURCE (www.awm.gov.au)