On 22 March 1912, Thomas enlisted into the 5th (Flintshire) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers for a period of four years. This was a unit of the Territorial Force with various companies based in towns across the county. Thomas joined C company which had its drill hall in Rhyl. He was given service number 978 and described as 5 feet 7 inches tall with blue eyes, fair hair, a fresh complexion, good vision, and good physical development.
When war broke out in August 1914, the Battalion had just set out for their annual summer camp and were at once recalled and mobilised for war, taking up position at Conway. On the last day of August, they went to Northampton to join the rest of the North Wales Brigade, Welsh Division, and prepare for deployment to overseas. On 18 November orders were received to prepare for a move to India, but this was withdrawn. They instead moved to Cambridge in January 1915 and on to Bedford in May, when the formation was renamed 158th (North Wales) Brigade of the 53rd (Welsh) Division. This period was spent in training, with time occupied with drills, marches, inspections, physical training, and practicing entrenching, shooting, and night attacks. Thomas was promoted to Lance Corporal during this time, but later reverted to Private at his own request.
Gallipoli
On 2 July 1915 orders arrived to re-equip for service in the Mediterranean. Leaving the artillery behind, the Division moved to Devonport where on 14 July the 5th Battalion embarked on the transport ship HMT Caledonia. Over the next two weeks they made stops at Gibraltar, Valletta in Malta, Alexandria in Egypt, and finally arrived at Lemnos on 28 July – to be their home for the next 10 days.
The ongoing deadlock on the Western Front led the Allies to formulate plans to attack Turkey, with the hope of relieving the pressure on Russia and at best knock it out of the war altogether. Plans were made to seize the Dardanelles – the narrow channel that led from the open sea towards the capital Constantinople. Given their strategic importance, the straits were well defended by minefields and fortifications. After naval attacks in February and March 1915 failed, it became clear that troops would have to seize the Gallipoli peninsula to the north and destroy the guns and minefields. An amphibious landing was made in April, but this was met with determined resistance and after four months of fighting little progress had been made. After receiving additional reinforcements, the British launched a new offensive on 6 August. The plan was for existing units to make a diversionary attack while new divisions were landed at Suvla Bay further to the north, with the idea of taking the hills surrounding the bay, attacking the Turks from the rear, and forcing their way to a decisive victory.
The landing took place on the night of 6 August against light opposition and the beach was seized – the Turks has been caught by surprise. However, incompetent commanders failed to push on, allowing the enemy to occupy the high ground above the beaches. Thomas’s 53rd (Welsh) Division formed part of the reinforcements that landed unopposed on ‘C’ Beach, Suvla Bay at 6am on 9 August, having been transported on HMS Rowan. They headed for Lala Baba where after a few hours rest they were thrown straight into the fighting early the following morning.
The men struggled to cross the soft mud of Salt Lake, being harassed all the way and suffering their first causalities of the war. They then launched into an attack on defended positions which was unsuccessful, suffering at least 19 killed and 120 wounded. They withdrew into some nearby trenches where they remained for the next few days before moving to Asmak Gully for some respite. They remained in the trenches there for the next two weeks, digging by night, resting by day, subjected to constant artillery and sniper fire. The men lived and fought in appalling conditions. Casualties from heat and disease began to overwhelm the inadequate medical facilities. Thomas was hospitalised with dysentery on 30 August and evacuated. In the meantime, the expedition failed and Allied forces were evacuated during December.
Garrison duty at Suez
The Division was taken to Alexandria in Egypt before arriving at Wardan on 23 December 1915 to join the 70,000 strong forces guarding the strategically vital Suez Canal. Thomas re-joined his unit at Khatatbah on 11 February 1916, with the 53rd Division spending the next year undertaking relatively comfortable garrison duties.
A year earlier Turkish forces had attempted to breach British defences – hoping to cut communications with East Africa, India, and Asia. The British had expected the offensive and were well prepared, repulsing the attack with minimal losses. The Turks then kept up nuisance raids throughout the summer. In December 1915, there was a change of plan on the British side. With intelligence that the Turks were building forces in Palestine, it was decided to move the defensive line far enough away from the canal for it to be beyond the range of the enemy’s heaviest guns. Three new defensive lines were constructed, with the construction of a railway and water pipeline enabling infantry to join the mounted forces near the town of Romani.
During July 1916 a strong Turkish force crossed the Sinai to try to cut off the British defences around Romani and gain control of the strategically important northern approaches to the canal. The Turks launched their attack early on 4 August and in fierce fighting were steadily driven back. Although the 158th Brigade was in the area during the Battle of Romani it was not involved in the fighting. The Allies then went on the offensive and by January 1917 the newly formed Desert Column had succeeded in expelling the Turks from the Sinai. Boyed by the success, the Government ordered the forces to continue and capture Jerusalem.
Attack on Gaza
With the departure of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division for the Western Front, its place in the Desert Column was taken by 53rd (Welsh) Division which transferred from garrison duties in Upper Egypt in January 1917.
The British were based at El Arish and preparing to attack Gaza as a first step towards Jerusalem. Two infantry divisions were to attack it from the south while mounted troops attacked from the flanks and north. The attack was launched very early on the morning of 26 March, with the 158th Brigade making slow progress due to dense fog.
After four hours they reached Mansura without having encountered any opposition. The mounted troops had meanwhile succeeded in capturing high ground to the north of the city and advancing into it, and by lunchtime Gaza was encircled. The infantry then began their direct assault on Gaza and by the early evening had advanced into the outskirts of the town. Despite this, fearing the water supplies vital for the mounted troops would not be captured that night, the forces were ordered to withdraw at dusk. The next morning, after realising their mistake, the British attempted to resume the battle with the infantry, but with the troops exhausted and the Turks having received reinforcements, the attack floundered. 523 men were killed in the First Battle of Gaza, including Thomas Cliff.
Thomas is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial, commemorating 3,300 Commonwealth servicemen who died during the First World War in operations in Egypt or Palestine and who have no known grave.
Units
- 1/5th (Flintshire) Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers
Medals
See also
