Captain Norman Victor Cliff

1. Lieutenant (Army). 1916-09-06 ?
2. Private, 3rd Battalion, Infantry (Army). 1914-10-26 ?
3. Captain, 3rd Battalion, Infantry (Army). 1918-08-13 to 1918-08-30
4. Captain, 3rd Battalion, Infantry (Army). 1917-08-25 to 1918-08-13
5. Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion, Infantry (Army). ? to 1917-08-25
6. Corporal, 3rd Battalion, Infantry (Army). ? to 1916-09-06
7. Private, 3rd Battalion, Infantry (Army). 1914-09-22 to 1914-10-26

Military Cross
Description: Gallant service on the field.
Date of award: 1918-06-18
Date of award: 1918-06-03
Source: London Gazette No. 30716, pg. 6473

Military Cross First Bar
Date of award: 1918-12-02
Source: London Gazette No. 31043, pg. 14224

Son of Captain George John Cliff and May Elizabeth Cliff (nee Cooper); older brother of Lieutenant Harold Cliff

The following information is based on a report that appeared in a Toronto Star newspaper dated September 7th, 1918. An earlier Star report from September 1st, 1915 was also consulted. The originals may be seen on Cliff's Virtual Memorial record.

Captain Norman Cliff enlisted with the First Canadian Contingent as a Private in the 3rd Battalion Toronto Regiment. His attestation was approved by Lt.-Col. R. Rennie. This Contingent was trained at Valcartier Camp in Quebec, and then transferred to England for further training on Salisbury Plain.

According to the 1918 newspaper report, Cliff was invalided home and discharged as medically unit in September 1915. He re-enlisted and took an Officer's course, and returned to England after eight months at home. Once in England he was sent to France, and was soon awarded the Military Cross on June 3, 1918 for gallant service on the field.

Looking at his LAC records, his second attestation (Officers' Declaration Paper) was completed on September 6th, 1916 at Ravina Barracks, Toronto, Ontario. The info from his September 1914 attestation is transcribed in the database entry above. The second attestation gives 34 Laws, West Toronto, as his present address, and his Father as next-of-kin at the same address.

At the time of his death his father, Captain George John Cliff, was still living at 34 Laws Street. in Toronto. His mother, May Elizabeth Cliff (nee Cooper) had died in 1903. His brother Lt. Harold Cliff also served in the war in the Artillery.

An earlier Toronto Star article from September 1st, 1915 was titled "Returned Hero Tells of the Orchard Fight / Private Norman Cliff, Temporarily Lamed, Has a Three Months' Holiday." Toronto Star reporters interviewed him upon his arrival by train in Toronto. Cliff was described here as "one of the first of Toronto's Festubert heroes to return from the front". He had received a severe hip wound received at the Festubert orchard engagement. It was reported that his discharge was temporary and for three months. "While loath to talk of his own part in the fighting, Pte. Cliff kindly gave The Star a glimpse in outline of some of the tight corners in which he and his companions in charge of one of the machine guns of the Third Battalion found themselves."

Cliff told reporters that the 3rd Battalions first "scrap" was at Ypres on April 22, 1915 - "That was the battle which you call Langemarck out here but we were really at Ypres." He stated that his friend (James) Ross Binkley of Dundas, Ontario, was killed, and later Everell Moore Bickerstaff of Toronto and Deric Broughall.1 Afterwards, the 3rd went into reserve near Ypres.

Cliff's experience at Festubert was May 22, 1915. He stated that the 3rd were only 50 (60?) yards from the German trenches. His unit faced "Whizz Bangs" and these led to his wounds. He noted that his friends Lance Corporal Dick Cotton and Pte. Fred Baird were also wounded at the same time.

He was taken to the British hospital at Rouen. He remained there in treatment until June 4th, and was then transferred to a war hospital in an asylum in Chichester, England. The Missanabie ship brought him back to Canada and he stated that the journey was uneventful.

In Toronto Cliff was known for hockey as a manger of the Simcoe Hockey Team., as well as being a member of the Ravina Tennis Club. He had been connected with Toronto's Queen's Own Rifles for four years.

Lt. N. V. Cliff is mentioned in several 3rd Battalion C.E.F. War Diaries for the engagement at Passchendaele and the events of November 6th, 1917:

Diary entry.
Diary entry.
Diary entry.

Lt. N. V. Cliff participates in a patrol on November 19th as noted here. Diary entry.

The war diary also notes Lt. Cliff's promotion to Acting Captain, second in command to Captain E. H. Minns of "A" Company. Diary entry.

Cliff made it through the 3rd Battalion's engagement on August 8th, 1918 as an Officer of the "C" Company. His fellow officer in "C" Company, Lt. Edward Fox Thairs, was killed. Diary entry. He also took part in engagements on August 9-10, as mentioned here.

A diary entry for August 13, 1918 entered at Beaufort, noted that Cliff was transferred from "C" to "A" Company as O.C. Diary entry.

Cliff's death is reported under the September 1918 diary entries. Diary entry.

The actual attack information for August 30, 1918 is included among the latest Appendix2 pages for the September diaries. The description of the attack preparation is here, and the attack chronology is here and here.

The final entry for Cliff is as part of a list of Officers killed. List.

Further information about the 3rd Battalion and references to Lt. Cliff may be found in the War Diaries.

Lt. Cliff is also commemorated on the Toronto Board of Trade Memorial.

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1Deric Broughall was noted as killed on April 22, 1915 in his entry on the Upper Canada College Roll of Honour and on a memorial plaque his parents placed at St. Thomas Church, Huron St., Toronto. For some reason, CVM has his death date as May 2nd, 1915. Photos and images.

2When looking at the Diary entries online for September 1918, start reading at entry No. 46.

Notes compiled by M. I. Pirie, 2009

I have posted his photo on his Virtual Memorial record, as well as the Memorial plaque at St. John's Anglican Church in West Toronto.

CVM additional notes: "Son of Capt. George J. Cliff, of 201, Parkside Drive, Toronto. Reached France February 1915. Previously wounded in 1917. Office Manager of the Toronto Salt Works, Jarvis Street."