CLUFF, Francis Nicholas

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             7th Infantry Brigade
                                             49th Battalion – Edmonton
                                             “C” Company
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
RESIDENCE                      Seaforth – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            November 17, 1893
                                             Seaforth – Tuckersmith Township – County of Huron – Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           August 28, 1918.                  24 years     9 months
CEMETERY:                     Gouroch Trench Cemetery – Tilloy-les-Mofflaines –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                                  B     9
PARENTS:                         Mr. Noble Cluff – Seaforth – Ontario
Occupation:                        Student at University            Religion:     Methodist
                                             of Toronto
Enlistment:                         Seaforth – December 21, 1915 – into 161st Huron Battalion as a Lieutenant as he had  
                                                                                                  served with the Militia with the 33rd Huron Battalion.
Enlistment Age:                 22 years     1 month

He was educated at Seaforth Public School and at Seaforth Collegiate Institute, then attended Stratford Business College. He then attended the Royal School of Dental Surgeons at the University of Toronto during 1915-1916.
When Lieutenant Cluff was at Bramshott – Hampshire he proceeded overseas for service with the 49th Battalion. He first went to Canadian Base Depot and on May 7, 1918 he joined the 49th Battalion in the field.
Lieutenant Cluff was killed by enemy machine-gun fire suffering fatal head wounds during an attack on 
      Pelves located east of Arras.
The weather was showery with poor visibility with winds from the south-east.
The Battalion was informed that the barrage would take place from 5:00 am – 6:30 am only and the artillery “heavies” would bring down a barrage onto Pelves from 5:00 am – 5:30 am.
The attack began at 5:00 am and Lieutenant Cluff informed Brigade the barrage was short of the town and there was little resistance and the trenches south of Pelves and the town itself were taken with little opposition by 6:15 am. 
By 7:15 am the advance was moving toward Hat and Kit Trenches and by 10:15 am these were taken. Both “C & D” Companies reported the enemy was beginning to press and that were in need of more ammunition. About this time “C” Company was into heavy fighting and it was during this period when Lieutenant Cluff was killed in action.
At 11:00 am the 49th Battalion, 42nd Battalion and the P.P.C.L.I. advanced with the objective being Jigsaw Wood. With severe enemy fire facing them the objective was taken. 
The loss was 13 men killed, 64 wounded and 1 man missing.
The Battalion from August 26-28 captured 15 machine-guns, 5 trench mortars and 3 anti-tank rifles.