12331123 Patrick 1915-2007
Henry Anthony Patrick Clay was born on 18 March 1915, the youngest son of Charles Leigh Clay and Margaret Amelia Press. He was educated at Eton, where he became a Sergeant in the Cadet Corps.
During the Second World War he served with the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia) which he had joined on 11 September 1935; Supplementary Reserve of Officers [65930] aged 19½. From January 1937-January 1939 he was part of the 101st (Monmouthshire) Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers.
11.09.1938 Lieut.
24.08.1939 mobilized
01.11.1940 Temp. Captain
Very late one night, after leaving a meeting, he borrowed a despatch-rider's motor-bike to get home, instead of waiting for a Staff car. He hit a tank trap in the road. Some hours later, a passing lorry stopped. His body and the bike were thrown into the back, and he was taken to the mortuary. Next morning they found he was still alive, so he was transferred to hospital, where he lay in a coma for six months, before making a full recovery.
13.04.1944 relinquished commission on account of ill-health, and granted the honorary rank of Capt.
04.06.1954 ERD[1]
After the War, Patrick became a stockbroker on the Cardiff Stock Exchange.
Patrick was married at 36 on 11 October 1951 to Betty Propsting Clunies‑Ross. The "first" Betty Clay, with her husband Gervas Clay, was at their wedding.
1962 - 1965 High Sheriff, Monmouthshire
13.07.1964 - 01.04.1972 Honorary Colonel,
Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia)
01.04.1967-01.04.1972. Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve
10.04.1968 Deputy Lieutenant, Monmouthshire
Patrick and Betty lived at Wyndcliff Court, Chepstow. It was at dinner there in 1967 that Bill Clay met his third cousin Gill Clay, and they wed.
Patrick and Betty had no children. He died on 20 August 2006, aged 91.
Betty Propsting Clunies‑Ross.
Betty was the daughter of Captain Jack Clunies-Ross of Australia.
Jack's father was Alfred Percy C-R (b. 22/01/1846 24, York Street East, Stepney) (d. 19/12/1918, Strahan, Tasmania). Jack was born 18/02/1881 and died in Sydney about 1953.
Jack's mother was Anne Caroline O'Meagher born ca. 1845, died ca.1937. She married Jack's father Alfred Percy C-R on 24/12/1869 in Tasmania.
Betty dies on 4 April 2006 aged 80.
[1] The Emergency Reserve Decoration (ERD) is a British military decoration, instituted in 1952. It has a dark blue ribbon, with a yellow central stripe. Recipients may use the letters ERD after their name. This silver and silver gilt decoration was awarded to officers of the Army Supplementary Reserve or Army Emergency Reserve for 12 years continuous or aggregate service (with war service counting as double). The obverse is an oval wreath of oak leaves with Queen Elizabeth II's Royal cypher in the centre and a crown at the top. The dark blue ribbon with a central yellow stripe is attached to a metal ring on top of the crown and is finished at the top with a brooch bar bearing the inscription 'ARMY EMERGENCY RESERVE'. The medal is 55mm high and 37mm wide. No bar was authorised, and medals were issued unnamed. The 17th March 2003 edition of the official Order of Wear specifies that the ERD is worn after the Hong Kong Disciplined Services Medal and before the Volunteer Officers' Decoration. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
