‘My soul is right with God’
Born the son of a steelworker in Motherwell’s Bridge Street on October 28, 1891, Clamp was educated at Craigneuk Public School.
He attended the Salvation Army’s Sabbath School and later enlisted in his local Territorial Army unit, the 6th Scottish Rifles (Cameronians).
At the outbreak of war in 1914, he was employed at the Hurst Nelson wagon works and was living with his parents in Flemington.
A man of strong Christian principles, quiet and steady with deep-rooted beliefs, he would go on to show the qualities of courage and self-sacrifice that VC holders are renowned for.
In his last letter home, aged 25, he wrote: “Don’t worry about me mother, for whatever happens, my soul is right with God.”
His citation read: “For most conspicuous bravery when an advance was being checked by intense machine-gun fire from concrete blockhouses and by snipers in ruined buildings. Corporal Clamp dashed forward with two men and attempted to rush the largest blockhouse.
“His first attempt failed owing to the two men with him being knocked out but he at once collected some bombs, and calling upon two men to follow him, again dashed forward. He was first to reach the blockhouse and hurled in bombs, killing many of the occupants. He then entered and brought out a machine-gun and about 20 prisoners, whom he brought back under heavy fire from neighbouring snipers.
“This non-commissioned officer then again went forward, encouraging and cheering the men, and succeeded in rushing several snipers’ posts. He continued to display the greatest heroism until he was killed by a sniper. His magnificent courage and self-sacrifice was of the greatest value and relieved what was undoubtedly a very critical situation.”
Corporal Clamp’s body was never recovered. His name is engraved on the Tyne Cot Memorial near Ypres in Belgium. His VC was presented to his parents by King George V at Buckingham Palace on March 2, 1918.