Captain Jeffries

One of the soldiers that experienced the war on the western front was Captain Clarence Smith Jeffries Jefferies was a captain that spent his war service in the Australian imperial force, he was well known for his leadership, bravery, and sacrifice in the battle of Passchendaele.

Jefferies was born in Newcastle New South Wales on the 26th of October 1894. At a young age Jefferies apprenticed with his father as a coal surveyor until he enlisted into the army as a soldier in the citizens military force at the age of 18 in the year 1912.

Clarence Smith Jefferies had fast promotions, after one year in the army he was promoted to a sergeant then in 1914 became a lieutenant army officer. His promotions didn't stop there as he was then promoted to captain after he recovered from machine gun wounds in June 1917 in the battle of Messines.

Australian Sodiers On The Western Front

Captain Clarence Smith Jefferies embarkation was on the 2nd of May 1816, and he fought in many places along the western front, with his most notable battle being the battle of Passchendaele. This was an important event because Jefferies led many commissioned parties, the most notable being the two parties he led on the 12th of October. These operations where important as they led Australian troops closer to winning in the battle of Passchendaele.

Due to Jefferies bravery during the attack, he was able to capture multiple machine guns and thirty-five prisoners with the first party. Then later that day with the second party, he was able to lead his company through dangerous conditions and machine-gun fire to successfully capture two more machine guns and thirty more prisoners. Sadly, Captain Clarence Smith Jefferies died during the second operation, however his inspiring actions continued to influence his soldiers.

After Jefferies death he was awarded the Victorian Cross, also on the 12th of October, this was awarded because of his bravery, intuition, and success of his actions. In 1920 Jefferies father Joshua Jefferies went to Belgium to search for his sons grave, only to discover in 1921 that his son's body had moved out of the battle ground and buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery where he still lays rest today

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