18433 Private Robert Clayton
8th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Devonport in 1897.
His parents were William Clayton(1870-13/06/1907) and Esther Janet W Wilson(born on 15/111869). They were married in 1892.
Robert had 2 brothers; Charles(born in 1894) and Herbert(born in 1902). He also had a sister,
Janet Irene(born in 1899).
In the 1901 census the family are recorded as living at
43 Monument Street,Devonport,Devon. William was a
Lance Corporal in the Army Service Corps(A.S.C.).
William was promoted to Corporal in the A.S.C.,but died in Devonport on 13/06/1907. Esther remarried in 1909 to Ernest Herbert Wills(born on 07/08/1879) and so in the 1911 census you find Robert living with his mother and step-father at 7 Barton Avenue Keyham Devonport.
Ernest Wills was a shipwright in HM dockyard and
Robert aged 14 was a van boy for CCP(?).
He enlisted in Plymouth and his date of disembarkation into France was on 15/12/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
Robert was awarded the 1914-1915 Star,the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.