53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion, Hampshire Regiment
There is little information available for Private Clapham other than an entry present in “Soldiers died in the Great War”; this indicates that he was born at Chittenden (Cheltenham?) Gloucestershire, was a resident of Cheltenham and enlisted at Bristol. There appears to be no Medal Index Card or any surviving Service Record.
A search of birth records does show someone of this name, Arthur George Clapham, born in Cheltenham in July 1900. and he attended St Paul’s Practising School.
The CWGC register indicates that he died on 19 October 1918 and this would fit with a death recorded for this name in Amesbury, Wiltshire, although this particular battalion of the Hampshires does not appear to have been located there at this time. However, Amesbury is on Salisbury Plain, which featured many military training camps, so it is feasible that Arthur Clapham may have died whilst on a course, or something similar.
Private Arthur George Clapham died on 19 October 1918; he was 18 years old. He is buried in Charlton Kings Cemetery and a CWGC headstone marks his grave.
Researched by Graham Adams 29 July 2011 (Revised June 2022)