36 hours lying wounded and thirsty

 

Pte Henry William Clutton, 4th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, a son of Mr and Mrs Henry Clutton, of 7 Norman Road, Luton, is at present lying grievously wounded in a military hospital in the neighbourhood of Norwich.

He was working for Messrs H. Lacey and Son [builders], Hazelbury Crescent, when war broke out, and joined the I. C. S. Corps, being afterwards drafted to the 4th Royal Fusiliers. He had been out at the Front since March, and with his battalion was in a big battle recently, in which the Liverpool Scottish, Fusiliers and other regiments won great distinction.

The attack started at daybreak and Pte Clutton was wounded about noon, a bullet smashing the bone of his thigh. While he was lying waiting to be picked up shrapnel fragments struck him and broke one of his arms in three places.

He was lying in long grass between the trenches, and from noon of the day he was first struck was lying there for 36 hours without attention, not being picked up until the evening of the following day. His water bottle gave out, and to the agony of his wounds he had added that caused by thirst, and the sight of a dead man not far away, whose water bottle was probably nearly full, but to whom he could not crawl.

When he was picked up he was transferred to a dressing station as quickly as possible, and in due course transferred to Boulogne and then Norwich.

On Sunday morning, Mr and Mrs Clutton received a wire advising then that their son was dangerously ill, and they left for Norwich at once. It was found necessary to re-set the injured limbs, and they were able to stay until this operation had been performed on Monday. Pte Clutton is not yet out of danger, but is believed to be going on well and is said to be very cheerful.

As it happens, Mr and Mrs Clutton have many relatives and friends near Norwich, and as some of these are able to visit the hospital they are frequently receiving news of their son's progress.

[The Luton News, Thursday, July 8th, 1915]