John James Clements VC

Name: John James Clements

Conflict: Second Boer War

Gazetted: June 4, 1901

Service: South African Forces

Place/date of birth: Middelburg, Cape Colony, South Africa/June 19, 1872

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Corporal (later Sergeant)

Date of bravery: February 24, 1901

London Gazette citation:

Rimington’s Guides. Corporal J.J. Clements.

On the 24th February, 1900, near Strijdenburg, when dangerously wounded through the lungs and called upon to surrender, Corporal Clements threw himself into the midst of a party of five Boers, shooting three of them with his revolver, and thereby causing the whole party to surrender to himself and two unwounded men of Rimington’s Guides.

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Other decorations: N/A

Place/date of death: Newcastle, Natal, South Africa/June 18, 1937

Grave/memorials: Newcastle Town Cemetery, Natal, South Africa

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Spink, London, 1999

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum