SOLDIERS OF THE SOUTH SIMILKAMEEN
Researchers:
Jennifer Douglass &
Andy English
Ernest Joseph Clue
Service No. K76099
Born: July 22, 1915, Kedleston, SK
Died: April 15, 1945, Arnhem, Netherlands
Son of Martin & Marie (Schlosser) Clue
Corporal - BC Dragoons
Resting Place:
Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetary
Gelderland, Netherlands
CPL. ERNEST JOSEPH CLUE
Born to Martin & Marie Clue in Saskatchewan in 1915, Ernest was one of five children. The family moved from Nova Scotia to Saskatchewan and then on to British Columbia. Martin Sr died in Vancouver in 1932. His eldest brother Martin had been born at the Chignecto Mines, Cumberland, Nova Scotia and mining must have stayed with the family as Martin continued mining throughout his life. He and Ernest are listed in the BC Voters Register of 1940 as Miners at Blakeburn, BC (in the area of Coalmont & Tulameen). There is a Mrs. Ernest Clue listed as well, but we are unable to locate any information about her.
Both sisters, Theresa and Frances, moved on to Nanaimo where they married. Martin also moved to the Island and mined in Cumberland for many years before settling in Nanaimo as well.
Ernest enlisted with the British Columbia Dragoons, which was the successor unit of the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles of the First world War. The BC Dragoons were attached to the 9th Armoured Regiment, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps (RCAC). His brother, Fred Clue, from Nanaimo also served with the BC Dragoons.
The BC Dragoons went into active service with the outbreak of the Second World War on September 1, 1939. Cpl. Clue would have been in training at Camp Vernon, BC. The BC Dragoons fought in Italy as part of the 5th Armoured Division before going to northwestern Europe in February of 1945 as part of the 1st Canadian Corp.
On April 11, 1945, The BC Dragoons crossed the Rhine River going to Nijmegen, Netherlands. The unit was advancing on Arnhem when they encountered heavy resistance. Cpl. Clue was a tank commander of “A” Company, driving a Sherman tank. He was killed in action at Arnhem on April 15, 1945, three weeks before the end of the war in Europe. He was 29 years old.
