Private Herbert Clayton
15711 11th East Lancashire Regiment
Killed in Action 2nd July 1916, aged 22
Lived at 16 Clough Street
Buried in Euston Road Cemetery, France - I.A.42.
Commemorated on the Holy Trinity Memorial
Burnley Express 26th July 1916

Herbert had only been married for a little over a year and left a five weeks old baby he never saw. Prior to enlisting he was a weaver at the Oxford Mill Co. His widow had already lost her brother, Pte. Jack Clarke who was the first Accrington Pal from Burnley to be killed.

Another "original" Accrington Pal, Herbert also served in Egypt prior to being drafted to France. He took part in the infamous advance, by the Accrington Pals, across no man's land along with the soldier whose name appears first on the memorial- Private Fred Ashworth . Their battalions task was to capture the heavily fortified village of Serre which was at the very Northern most point on the 1st of July Somme offensive. The attack was almost a complete disaster costing the lives of a large number of local soldiers. Herbert is buried on the site of a casualty clearing station near the village of Colincamps a few miles from Serre, many soldiers either made their own way or were transported by a light railway to this hospital only to succumb to their wounds .

WIFE LOSES HUSBAND AND BROTHER
“PAL” LEAVES BABY HE HAS NOT SEEN (Burnley Express 26th July 1916)

A very hard case, even in this terrible war, is that of Mrs. Clayton of 16 Clough-street, Burnley, who yesterday received information from the Record Office at Preston that her husband, Pte. Herbert Clayton, 15711 of the 11th East Lancashire Regt. (“Pals”) was killed in action on July 1st or 2nd . Mrs. Clayton had been married since the war broke out, in April last year, and had a little baby five weeks old, which providence had not permitted its brave father to see. In addition Mrs. Clayton has lost a brother, Pte. Jack Clark in the same Regiment, he being the first “Pal” from Burnley to be reported killed.
Pte. Clayton, who before enlisting, resided in Granville-street, Burnley Lane was formerly a weaver at the Oxford Mill Co’s shed. He joined the original “Pals” and was out in Egypt with them. he had been looking forward to leave to see his little baby. The utmost sympathy will be felt with the young widow in the particularly distressing circumstances.