Claud Jeffery

Medals awarded

  • Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902
    Clasp: South Africa 1901
    Clasp: Cape Colony
    Clasp: Orange Free State
    Clasp: Johannesberg
    Clasp: Diamond Hill
    Clasp: Belfast
  • 1914-15 Star
  • British War Medal
  • Victory Medal

 

 

Medals are shown left to right, as per the bullet point list above.

Claud Giffard Jeffery was born at Manningham, Bradford, on the 13th April 1880. He joined the Service Company of the Volunteer Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment in Masham as a Private in 1899. He went with the battalion to South Africa in February 1900 and served in the Boer War, joining the 1st Battalion at Bloemfontein in the advance to Pretoria. He joined operations in the Orange Free State in May 1900 and was involved in action at Brandfort, Vet and Zand Rivers, Kroonstadt and Johannesburg. He also saw action at Diamond Hill, in the Transvaal East of Pretoria in July to October 1900 as well as action in Belfast and in Cape Colony.

He returned home as a Lance Corporal in July 1901 and was promoted to Second Lieutenant in the Green Howards on 14 September 1901, nominated by Lord Kitchener. He became Captain and then Adjutant of the 2nd battalion, but in March 1912 he was seconded for two years’ service with the Egyptian Army.

With the outbreak of the First World War, Jeffery left England for the Western Front with the 2nd Battalion. On 23 October, whilst leading a party of volunteers to repel an attack by a large force of the enemy at Geluveld near Ypres, Captain Jeffery was wounded.

Private Waller of D Company stated that during the German attack, Captain Jeffery said “we must charge with Bayonets” and 20 men jumped out of the trench and charged, Captain Jeffery leading them; sword in one hand revolver in the other. Before they reached the enemy, Captain Jefferey was struck by a rifle bullet and called out “I am wounded somewhere, Carry on Men Carry On”. He was then carried to the field hospital 500 yards behind the trenches. His actions led to him being Mentioned in Dispatches. Jeffery died of his wounds, in hospital near Ypres, the next day, aged 35.

A fellow officer said, “Captain Jeffery was one of the most gallant men I have ever met, popular with all Officers and beloved by his men.”