(1889-1916)
Clair’s occupation and marital status upon enlistment, was detailed as a clerk, who was single.1Karen Nelson, Marching Home to Braidwood. Braidwood RSL. UPS, Ulladulla, NSW. 2016. p 6,7.
- Date of Birth – March 1889, Araluen, NSW.2NSW Birth Death and Marriages, https://familyhistory.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ Birth – 16490/1889 Parents Arthur N and Elizabeth Registered in Braidwood. Accessed 23 June 2026.
- Parents – Arthur Underwood Alley and Elizabeth Anne Treehy of Lane Cove Road, Turramurra, New South Wales.
- Enlisted – 18 February 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales. Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT Ceramic on 25 June 1915.3University of NSW AIF project https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=3620 Accessed 23 June 2026 and https://app.memories.net/memorials/clairunderwood-alley-24626 Accessed 23 June 2026.
- Regimental Number– 11284National Archives of Australia. https://www.naa.gov.au/. NAA: B2455, Alley C.C. Item ID – 3032026, Accessed 23 June 2026.
- Aged at embarkation – 25 years5Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1785548 Accessed 23 June 2026.
- Military service – 19th Battalion, Rank – Corporal6Virtual War Memorial Australia, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/329412 Accessed 23 June 2026.
- After training in Egypt, the Battalion disembarked at Anzac Cove on 21 August 1915 to assist in the Gallipoli evacuation, and moved to France on the Western Front disembarking at Marseille on 25 March 1916. Clair was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
- Killed in action on 29 July 1916 (aged 26 years) at Pozieres, Somme Sector, France.7Find a Grave.com. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/16179286/clair-underwood-alley Clair Underwood Alley’s name is located at panel 87 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, and Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau file https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1504713 Accessed 23 June 2026.
- Commemorated on the Australian National War Memorial, France, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France.8Commonwealth War graves https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1457433/clair-underwood-alley/ Accessed 23 June 2026.
Clair’s grandfather was Dr. George Underwood Alley who married Catherine Amelia Smith in 1830 in Dublin, Ireland. George and Catherine came to Australia in 1838, and moved to Araluen from the Shoalhaven in 1863. They had fifteen children, with a number of the family members, over many years, becoming well respected residents of the Araluen community.
Clair’s father Arthur Underwood Alley (1841-1923) married Elizabeth Ann nee Treehy (1847-1933) on 2 July 1862 in Braidwood. Clair was the youngest of their fourteen children. Originally operating a store at Long Flat, Majors Creek, the family moved settling in Orange and returning to Araluen in the early 1880s. Arthur is detailed as a storekeeper of the Commercial Stores in Araluen in 18899Braidwood Dispatch and Mining Journal (NSW : 1888-1889; 1895; 1897-1954), Wednesday 15 February 1899, p 2. in a report describing Clair’s sister Elizabeth Louisa’s marriage to William James Hyland.
In January 1913, the Wellington Times10Wellington Times (NSW : 1899-1941; 1943-1954), Monday 6 January 1913, p 2. reported on the ‘departure of Mr. C. U. Alley, who has been employed in the Wellington Stores for a number of years, [which] was the occasion of a presentation on Friday of several gifts from his fellow-employees…[The presenter] commented on the sterling qualities of Mr. Alley and the high esteem in which he was held by his fellow-employees. Mr. Alley had always taken a keen interest in all that concerned the welfare of the Stores. In sporting circles, he was also well-known, having been one of the most brilliant players in the Stores cricket team this year, and a particularly effective bowler. He was also a keen tennis player. Mr. Alley feelingly replied, expressing the pleasure of his ten years’ connection with the Stores. He left on the mail train for Sydney’.
Private Gamwell from the 19th Battalion in July 1917 recounts ‘I knew Alley well. He was a personal friend of mine. He came from Strathfield or one of the suburbs between Liverpool and Sydney… He was hit by a shell at Pozieres and killed instantly… He was in the same platoon as myself and very popular throughout the company.’11Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau file No:1DLR0428. https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1504713 Accessed 21 June 2026.
(1889-1916)
In September 1916 the Wellington Times12Wellington Times (NSW : 1899-1941; 1943-1954), Thursday 28 September 1916, p 4. detailed ‘Some days ago news was received that Clair Alley (who was book-keeper at the Wellington Stores, Ltd., some years ago), had been killed in action at the front. He was a fine young fellow, clean and straight’.
The Sydney Morning Herald13Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), Friday 29 September 1916, p 8. detailing War Casualties on 29 September 1916 reporting that ‘CORPORAL C. U. ALLEY. Corporal Clarence Underwood Alley was killed in action in France on July 29 [1916]. He served in Gallipoli for four months, being there at the evacuation. He was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs A. U. Alley, of Kincora, Turramurra’.