111095 Pte. Ernest Gerrard Ruel Clayton Ernest was younger brother to Pte. Joshua Samuel Clayton. He was born over a decade after Joshua, on 5th March 1898. Despite the age gap, the two brothers were reported as being inseparable and delighted at being able to serve in the same Squadron and Company.

Signing up with his brother in Amherst, Nova Scotia, in March 1915, Ernest and his brother were assigned to the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles, but later, after divisional restructuring in January 1916, they were transferred to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles. Ernest was with his brother in the front lines on 2nd June 1916, when the Germans opened their 14 day campaign, the 'Battle for Mount Sorrel'.

Like some 350 of his comrades, Ernest survived the deadly barrage and mines, but was captured by the Germans and taken away as a POW (Prisoner of War). However, it wasn't until 6th July that his official status changed from MIA (missing in action) to POW when the official lists started coming through from the captors.

Sadly, Joshua did not survive the attack. He was listed as missing right through the war until his body was eventually found and identified in 1927.

Ernest spent two years in German POW camps (mostly at Dulmen) before being repatriated to the UK on 18th December 1918, and was finally able to head back home to Canada.

Having arrived in Halifax in February 1919, Ernest had crossed the Atlantic aboard the RMS Olympic, the sister ship to Titanic.

Back home in Saint John, Ernest married Mabel Holmes in May 1921 and the couple were blessed with a daughter, Jean, in 1927, but sadly Ernest died in May 1931 of lung complications.

Ernest G. R. Clayton lies at rest today in the family grounds of Fernhill Cemetery, Saint John, New Brunswick.

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Thanks and credit for the images and biography go to Alex Clayton, great great-grandson to Ernest's brother, Joshua.