Gunner Clarence A. Houston, who died of wounds in France a few days ago, was the last surviving son of Mr W. H. Houston, of 4, Hill crescent, Oriental Bay. He was 25 years of age at the time of his death. His brother, Captain Neville Houston, was killed on July 1st, 1916. Gunner Clarence Houston had been previously wounded, but, having recovered from his wounds last year, returned to the front. He was educated at Otago High School and the Waitaki High School, and entered as a law student of Victoria College, and had made considerable progress towards the completion of his course. Before he enlisted he was in the office of Messrs Wilson and Meredith, solicitors, Wellington. For many years Mr W. H. Houston was a well-known business man in Dunedin, but he retired some time ago, and came to Wellington to live. -NZ Times, 13/11/1918.
Clarence Houston had a varied military career. He was hospitalised for rheumatism on Mudros Island, which was a staging point for the Gallipoli Campaign. He eventually made it to the Peninsula, was evacuated, and hospitalised in Cairo with tonsilitis. In March, 1916, he was hospitalised again, having been kicked in the ankle by a horse - something of an occupational hazard for an artillery driver.
In May of 1916 he was again in hospital with a fractured tibia. He was transferred to an English hospital with the movement of New Zealand troops to Europe and finally rejoined his unit the following October.
In April, 1917, he was awarded 2 days' "Field Punishment No. 2." The citation on his Army record is as follows: "absent from 6.30am parade + conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he did fail to clean his buttons."
On October 24, 1918, he was wounded in action, with a gunshot wound to his right leg. He died of his wound at the 45th Casualty Clearing Station near Le Quesnoy.
He was buried in the Awoingt British Cemetery in France.
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