Dorchester Illustration no. 2350 Clifford Burton Fletcher
At the Dorchester Historical Society, we are in the process of a year-long project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of World War I. Using a collection of photographs we have of WWI Dorchester residents, we will be featuring servicemen in a number of short biographies throughout the year. At the culmination of the project, we hope to produce an online exhibit which highlights these men and their service to our country.
Our next biography features: CLIFFORD BURTON FLETCHER
Clifford B. Fletcher was born, to Willard Valentine Fletcher of Portland, Maine and Minnie C. Wetmore of New Brunswick,on February 2, 1896. The family was living on Mill Street, Dorchester and the father was listed as a stockman. There was an older brother, Roland Willard, who was born October 1, 1893 in Somerville, MA.
In the 1900 census for Boston, the mother and both boys were living on 90 Brunswick Street in Roxbury with her parents, but in the 1900 census for Somerville, perhaps taken later, the family is together in a rented home on Medford Street, Somerville. The father is a floor manager in a furniture store and the family has a servant.
By 1910, the family owned their own home at 93 Brunswick Street, Roxbury and Minnie’s mother and brother are living with them. Willard was a superintendent of a furniture store.
Clifford graduated from Phillips Brooks Grammar School in Roxbury, Mechanic Arts High School and Wentworth Institute, Boston, MA.
On June 8, 1916, Clifford, age 20 of 11 Clarkwood Street, Mattapan, enlisted in the National Guard at Boston, Mass. and became the Company Bugler on November 3, 1916. His brother Roland describes his service below.
“In June, 1916 he was elected a member of “D” Co First Corps Cadets, and after a short service with this battallion was made Company Buglerand later was promoted to Senior Bugler of the Corps. Shortly after this country entered the European Conflict, the First Corps Cadets in June 1917 finding that they would not be accepted as an Infantry Battalion volunteered in a body as an Engineer Regiment. They became in July 1917,101st U.S. Engineers, at which time my brother was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in Company. “D”. On September 24, 1917, the 101st Engineers, after a summer of hard drilling and arduous training left for overseas, going first to England, where they remained at South Hampton about two weeks and then to Havre, France. From Havre they went inland about 400 miles to the River Marne, where my brother’s Company was quartered at a small village known as Rolampont, Shortly before Christmas, 1017, while “D” Company was still stationed in Rolampont, my brother was sent alone on a special mission to Bordeaux. While performing this mission he was stricken with cerebro-spinal meningitis as the result of exposure and he died of this disease at U.S. Base Hospital No. 6, January 9, 1918. He was buried in the American Military Cemetery at Talence, his grave being No. 24 in Row 1 of Division 20.”
Do you know more about Clifford Burton Fletcher? We would love to hear from you! All material has been researched by volunteers at the Dorchester Historical Society, so please let us know if we got something wrong or you think a piece of the story is missing!
REFERENCES:
Birth Records; FamilySearch.org
Federal Census Records, 1900, 1910; FamilySearch.org
Notes of Dr. Perkins and Clifford’s brother
Service Record; Adjutant General Office and Museum, Concord, MA