Private Alexis Clermont of the 22nd Battalion positively identified by the late Richard Laughton of Malton, Ontario in March of 2016. Over ten years later, Mr Laughton’s Investigate Report still under investigation by the CWGC. Twenty-one other reports submitted, or co-submitted by Richard also under investigation, including another (Sergeant Harold Ault) related to this case.
QUÉBEC CEMETERY, Chérisy, 15 August 2019, cefrg.ca
Positively identified as the grave of Private Alexis Clermont
by the late Mr Richard Laughton in March of 2016.
Madame Alexandre-Eximer Monette
Son of Alexis Magault dit Clermont (deceased in 1902) and Adélina Gauthier, of Laprairie, Québec. His mother remarried to Adjuteur Blais in 1904, to Joseph Giroux in 1911, and she died in 1916. Alexis would bequeath all to his Aunt, Madame Alexandre-Eximer Monette, of Montreal. Alexandre-Eximer married Albina Tetreault at St-Édouard, Napierville, Québec, in 1910.
Though Private Alexis Clermont 243354 enlisted in the 167th Battalion (2nd Reinforcing Draft) on 7 April 1916, he would not see the battlefield until August of 1918 following the Battle of Amiens. He would become one of thousands of inexperienced reinforcements killed in the latter stages of Canada’s Last Hundred Days. Alexis died on his first day in the line, having never seen the enemy.
The Death of Private Alexis Clermont
On 8 August 1918, Private Alexis Clermont transferred to the 22nd Battalion and landed in France on the 10th, the same day Lt Jean Brillant VC MC died of wounds on 10 August 1918, east of Meharicourt.
Alexis likely went into the lines for the first time on the afternoon of 27 August 1918 as one of 31 reinforcements. At 4:30 am the same day, the battalion had suffered 22 men killed, 193 wounded, and 11 missing in the trenches at Wancourt. The Battle of Amiens rather kind in terms of casualties for the 22nd Battalion. Those days now over for the battalion, which also suffered the most soldiers Shot at Dawn in the CEF.
At 12:30 pm, 28 August 1918, the 22nd Battalion attacked enemy positions north-east of Cherisy. Twenty-two Other Ranks killed, 140 wounded and 24 missing after this action. The battalion relieved on the night of 29/30 August 1918 and proceeded to Neuville-Vitasse. Major G E A Dupuis assuming command on the 29th.
The 22nd Battalion would suffer a few casualties on 2 October 1918 east of Tilloy, but spent the remainder of the war attempting to get back to battle strength. The Van Doos would participate in the March to the Rhine and the Allied Occupation of Germany at Bonn with the 2nd Canadian Division.
2016 Investigate Report
The following investigative report submitted to CWGC Canadian Agency on 31 March 2016 by the late Richard Laughton (July 25, 1952 – August 30, 2020).
Summary of Findings
The Graves Registration Report form for Row D Grave 23 of the Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy lists an UNKNOWN Canadian Soldier of the 22 Infantry Battalion killed on 28 August 1918.
QUÉBEC CEMETERY, Chérisy, 15 August 2019, cefrg.ca
The results of our investigation clear that Private Alexis Clermont #243354, known to be buried in this cemetery, and mistakenly identified buried in A.23 instead of D.23. Unfortunately his name added to the Vimy Memorial.
Details of Findings
The findings conclusive that the remains in Row D Grave 23 those of Private Alexis Clermont #243354 of the 22nd Canadian Infantry Battalion. Killed in action on 28 August 1918 in the attack on Cherisy. Many of the men killed that day reported killed “on or after that date”, as is the case with Private Clermont. The findings are based on the following.
CoD
The Circumstance of Death file for Private Clermont states “instantly killed by machine gun bullets during the attack and advance from Wancourt to Cherisy”.
His file records buried at the Quebec Cemetery (Trench Map Coordinates 51b.O.34.a.2.4 in Plot 1 Row A Grave 23 (Attachment #1).
The reference to Plot #’s subsequently dropped from the Quebec Cemetery, as there remains only one plot.
QUÉBEC CEMETERY, Chérisy, 26 April 2015, cefrg.ca
E-13
The E-13 War Grave Register contains the same information regarding burial in Plot 1 Row A Grave 23, as of 22 October 1918 and at the unit on 24 November 1918 (attachment #2).
At some point after that occurrence, the graves unit discovered that a Sergeant Ault buried in that grave and thus Private Clermont struck from the Quebec Cemetery register and added to the Vimy Memorial as a soldier with no known grave. It is clear that this happened as the result of a recording error in the Row number of A instead of D.
CWGC Records
Six (6) Privates of the 22nd Infantry Battalion listed on the Vimy Memorial for KIA on 28 August, 1918 (Attachment #3). Only Private Clermont reported buried in the Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy and no other unknown men of the 22nd Battalion identified buried in the cemetery.
i. Harry Buckley #448410 – 51b.O.26.d.5.9
ii. Augustin Charlebois #448053 – no record of burial
iii. Alexis Clermont #243354 – Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy Plot 1 Row A Grave 23
iv. Raymond Duque #660530 – no record of burial
v. Henri LaCasse #1021055 – no record of burial
vi. Adie Jose Le Francois #504997 – no record of burial
Private Clermont identified in a grave numbered 23. UCS recorded for each of C.23 and D.23, however C.23 an unknown soldier of the 24th Battalion reportedly killed on 2 September 1918. Elsewhere we have shown that Private Walter Whitty #841668 of the 24th Battalion is in that grave (see Whitty Report).
QUÉBEC CEMETERY, Chérisy, 15 August 2019, cefrg.ca
Sgt Harold Ault
The conflict in the burial records in the Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy with the remains in Row D Grave 23 related to Sergeant Harold Ault #633251. His reported date of death was 30 August 1918 (Attachment #4). Buried with his colleagues from the 3rd Infantry Battalion in graves A.20, A.21 and A.22.
GRRF
The Graves Registration Form (GRRF) for Row D Grave 23 shows an Unknown Canadian Soldier of the 22nd Battalion, killed on 2 September 1918 (Attachment #5).
Our research, as previously reported, showed that most of the men killed in the attack on Cherisy were reported to have a date of death after the 28 August 1918. We know that Private Clermont was buried in the Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy, and that an administrative error resulted in his name being struck from the record, due to the conflict with Sergeant Ault. As prior research has shown that Private Whitty #841688 of the 24th Battalion is buried in C.23, we can confirm that the records all agree as to the 22nd Battalion soldier being in D.23.
Action Required
The “Investigative Report” has been prepared in accordance with the procedures and criteria set out by the CWGC, should they wish to make any changes to the commemoration details (Attachment #6).
It is our belief that the original information was correct that Private Alexis Clermont was buried in the Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy in Grave 23. Through an administrative error the Row incorrectly recorded as “A” rather than “D”, and when the conflict arose, his name struck from the register.
Richard Laughton
Private Researcher
LMC Great War Research Company
Report Author
Ten Years Later
Richard’s report (ID: 340 & 336) still Under investigation on 23 April 2026. The CWGC utility last updated in August 2025.
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