Clarence G. Willmott was born on 22nd June 1894 to parents William and Harriet Willmott. He was the eldest of four children. By 1911, Clarence lived with his family at 50 Colombo Road, Ilford and was employed as a clerk.
Clarence enlisted with the 4th Battalion, the Essex Regiment, who were based in Gordon Road, Ilford, at the beginning of the war in August 1914. En route with the battalion to take part in the Gallipoli campaign in August 1915, Clarence contracted dysentery. He made a recovery and took part in the landings. However he relapsed and was invalided out on the hospital ship Formosa. Unfortunately Clarence died on the journey back to England on 14th October 1915; he was just 22 years old. Clarence was buried at sea, and his name is recorded on the Helles Memorial in Turkey.
Research by Patrick O’Mara and Redbridge Museum
Sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry.com