3055 Lance Corporal Vivian John Clements – Bairnsdale Killed in Action 19 July 1916

….. buried in no-man’s land same as his brother

Vivian Clements was the third child of Thomas and May and brother to Harold Clements who also signed up to serve. He was thirteen when the family arrived in Bairnsdale and like his brother was a member of the Bairnsdale Rifle Club for six years before enlisting a month before his brother on 4 July 1915. Vivian was a 21 year old linesman and was with the 22 nd  Battalion when he left Australia later that year on the Commonwealth on 26 November 1915. His spent longer in Egypt training than his brother and they both sailed for France on the Kinfauns Castle, arriving at Marseilles on 29 June. On 3 July he was appointed to Lance-Corporal and just sixteen days later he was reported missing. A court of enquiry twelve months later found that 23 year old Vivian was presumed buried in no man’s land the same as his brother. While the brothers were officially “missing” they were both “declared” deceased on different days and it wasn’t until 19 September that the family received a cablegram advising them that both sons had died in the field on 19 July twelve months earlier. Death notices placed at the time cited them as being two of Australia’s noblest and best. We have been unable to locate a photograph of Lance-Corporal Vivian Clements, if you know of one, please make contact. Our group would appreciate your assistance.