THE LATE SECOND-LIEUT. W. H. CLEMENTS

THE KILDARE OBSERVER 8 SEPTEMBER 1917 

Naas Presbyterian Church.

 THE LATE SECOND-LIEUT. W. H. CLEMENTS

At the morning service in this church on Sabbath last the Rev. J. A. R. Boyd, B.A., preaching from the text “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” made the following references to the late Second-Lieut. W. H. Clements:— I feel, brethren, that did I not say a few words I would be ungrateful to the memory of one who used to worship here with us, but who heard the call and went out and served with honour his King and country, and who now, we grieve to say, has laid down his life for us. I refer to the late Second-Lieut. W. H. Clements. I do not know that at first Mr. Clements would have given us the impression of being a young man who would have been very keen to be a soldier. But beneath all his easy-going good natured manner there was an unassuming true manliness that quickly answered to the call, and he went, and soon he made his mark as a brave and fearless soldier, serving in Gallipoli and Serbia. He was awarded the D.S.M. and gained a commission in the Inniskilling Fusiliers a few months ago. And now we hear that the bodies of himself and some of those whom he was leading were found in a shell crater, killed on the 16th August. There are sad hearts that mourn him and those others, and many more. But what better death could he have wished. With pride and gratitude we remember him. “They died that we might live.”

Hail and farewell,

All honour give

To those who nobly striving, nobly fell,

That we might live.

Eternal honour give;

Hail! and farewell

To those who died

In that full splendour of heroic pride

That we might live.

Transcribed by: Chris Holzgräwe, 6 March 2014.