(1891-1949)
Occupation: Farmer
Rank: Bomadiar
ServiceNumber: 7/181
Force: NZEF
Family
John Laird Llewelyn (Jack) b.15 December 1891, son of Rev. Joseph Laird Clougher and Constance Maude (nee Richardson) on 17 March 1884.
Other known children were:
Arthur born 22 August 1868; died 29 December 1931
Marie Louise [known as Wesa] born18 June 1890
Ethel ?
There would seem to be another daughter known as Tot or Totty.
On the death of Rev. Joseph in 1904 Constance took the family to New Zealand where they settled on a farm in Rainey River, Korere.
Jack was educated at Nelson College and was in the Nelson College Rifle Cadets 1907–1909. On leaving school he was active in Wakatu Mounted Rifles, territorials 10th (Nelson) Mounted Rifles 1909–1914 and Tapawera Mounted Rifles.
He lived and worked as a self employed farmer managing “Glanbrydan” at Korere for his Mother.
1914
Jack enlisted at Korere and attested on 8 August at Nelson.
Based on military records and letters home:
16 October: Embarked as part of Canterbury Mounted Rifles with the Main Body from Lyttleton for Wellington on H M S Minotaur. They were on their way to Hobart.
1 November: Left Albany joined by Australian ships and on the way to Suez.
11 November: Listening in on radio heard the battle going on between ship Sydney and German ship Emden at the Cocos Islands.
25 November: Dropped anchor in Aden, went across to S S Arawa for spares; saw German prisoners peeling spuds while officers playing cards.
Egypt
1 December: Arrived Suez travelling up the Canal, on to Port Said and then Alexandria.
1915
Zeitoun Camp
6 February: Reports the Turks have started to shell positions and Nelson Infantry have been engaged.
They are out in the desert, the reinforcements and Australians have arrived to join them, food improved. 40,000 men drilling together infantry, cavalry and artillery.
12 May: Left horses in Egypt, sailing for ANZAC Cove 2,000 men on board, Canterbury and Wellington Regts.
They heard 18% Otago Regt killed and they know they will see some awful sights.
13 August: Gunshot wound to the ankle, embarked Dardanelles by hospital ship Dundee Castle to Malta; admitted to Floriana hospital where ankle was operated on. On the way 60 buried at sea; over 20,000 killed or wounded.
8 September: Embarked for England on H S Istalia for Endsleigh Palace Hospital, London for further treatment on his ankle.
1916
France
January: He returned to active service. In March transferred to 12th Battery N.Z.F.A as gunner.
29 September: Had been partially buried with sand bags when a shell exploded close to their gun pit, suffering some shaking and shell shock.
1 December: Winter is on them and its difficult keeping warm.
1917
17 June: Somewhere in Belgium.
Apologises for not writing as they had to prepare large quantities of ammunition, digging dug outs and gunpits for the taking of...censored...
1918
Jack returned to NZ and from 24 April he was employed at Featherson Camp until his discharge on 9 December 1918.
Post-War
1920: Living on farm at Korere, Jack married Mary Dale on 20 October in Hamilton. Mary was born 1 March 1888 and died 25 April 1971.
John Laird Llewellyn Clougher died 18 May 1949 and is buried at Hillcrest Cemetery, Hamilton next to his daughter Constance Mary who had died 17 days before.