In West Rainton (St Mary) Churchyard is the Commonwealth War Grave of:-
131 Private
H. Cleaughan
Durham Light Infantry
31st August 1919
Enid Hoseason has submitted the following:-
Henry Claughan was born in 1882 and his birth was registered at Houghton le Spring and there are no other records until the 1901 census. At this time, he was lodging with his cousins, Henry and Mary Davison, their son Henry and also a boarder called Benjamin Mansell. They were living at Engine Row in Shadforth, County Durham, Henry along with other male members of the household, were employed in the coal mines, His cousin Henry, the head of the household was a deputy overman. (Henry’s name on the census was spelled Clauphin.)
On the 1911 census, Henry (Clauphan) aged 26, he listed his employment as a coal hewer and is now married to Margaret Annie, she came from West Rainton, Houghton le Spring and their house is 31 Front Street, Leamside, it is listed as Freehold. The marriage records show that they married at Houghton le Spring, again the name is recorded as Clauphan. Margaret Annie’s name at the time of her marriage is Armstrong.
The attestation papers show that Henry was 31 years old when he enlisted in February 1915 and signs his name as Claughan. He is 5 feet 1½ inches tall and enlisted with the 19th (Bantam) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.
In March 1917 whilst serving in Arras, France, he received a gunshot wound to his right hand and was sent to the 11th General Hospital where he received treatment for septic poisoning. He was then transferred to the Warrington War Hospital where he remained for 3 months. He had three weeks convalescence in Mold, North Wales and then transferred to the Depot in Ripon. In August 1917 he was re admitted to hospital with tuberculosis. Henry was discharged from the army in August 1917 being physically unfit, and received a small pension. He died on the 31st August 1919.
Henry was entitled to a Silver War Badge as he had enlisted as well as serving overseas.
In 1921 his wife Margaret Annie Armstrong married Arnold Gibney and in 1922 gave birth to a son, Arnold Arthur Gibney.
Henry Claughan is remembered at West Rainton on W113.02
