Clifford Burton Fletcher

No. 13172 Clifford Burton Fletcher

Photograph of Clifford Burton Fletcher. Contained in an album at the Dorchester Historical Society of about 150 photos kept by Nathaniel R. Perkins, MD, who examined thousands of men who were going into the war, 1914-1918. Given by Mrs N. R. Perkins in accordance with instructions from her late husband, Dr. Nathaniel P. Perkins of 1122 Adams St, Dorchester. Index catalog has entries for the individuals. Clifford Burton Fletcher Serg 101 Reg engineers D Co [too much to include here]

Clifford B. Fletcher was born, to Willard Valentine Fletcher of Portland, Maine and Minnie C. Wetmore of New Brunswick,on February 2, 1896. The family was living on Mill Street, Dorchester and the father was listed as a stockman. There was an older brother, Roland Willard, who was born October 1, 1893 in Somerville, MA.

In the 1900 census for Boston, the mother and both boys were living on 90 Brunswick Street in Roxbury with her parents, but in the 1900 census for Somerville, perhaps taken later, the family is together in a rented home on Medford Street, Somerville. The father is a floor manager in a furniture store and the family has a servant.

By 1910, the family owned their own home at 93 Brunswick Street, Roxbury and Minnie’s mother and brother are living with them. Willard was a superintendent of a furniture store.

Clifford graduated from Phillips Brooks Grammar School in Roxbury, Mechanic Arts High School and Wentworth Institute, Boston, MA.

On June 8, 1916, Clifford, age 20 of 11 Clarkwood Street, Mattapan, enlisted in the National Guard at Boston, Mass. and became the Company Bugler on November 3, 1916. His brother Roland describes his service below.

“In June, 1916 he was elected a member of “D” Co First Corps Cadets, and after a short service with this batallion was made Company Buglerand later was promoted to Senior Bugler of the Corps. Shortly after this country entered the European Conflict, the First Corps Cadets in June 1917 finding that they would not be accepted as an Infantry Battalion volunteered in a body as an Engineer Regiment. They became in July 1917,101st U.S. Engineers, at which time my brother was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in Company. “D”. On September 24, 1917, the 101st Engineers, after a summer of hard drilling and arduous training left for overseas, going first to England, where they remained at South Hampton about two weeks and then to Havre, France. From Havre they went inland about 400 miles to the River Marne, where my brother’s Company was quartered at a small village known as Rolampont, Shortly before Christmas, 1017, while “D” Company was still stationed in Rolampont, my brother was sent alone on a special mission to Bordeaux. While performing this mission he was stricken with cerebro-spinal meningitis as the result of exposure and he died of this disease at U.S. Base Hospital No. 6, January 9, 1918. He was buried in the American Military Cemetery at Talence, his grave being No. 24 in Row 1 of Division 20.”

Sources:

Birth Records; FamilySearch.org

Federal Census Records, 1900, 1910; FamilySearch.org

Notes of Dr. Perkins and Clifford’s brother

Service Record; Adjutant General Office and Museum, Concord, MA

 

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Posted on

April 3, 2022

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