but I'm getting the infamous "c-gensym" element names instead of the proper element names as defined.

So why not use the almost-as-equally-famous solution of type-it-all-out-manually?

 
   ## \SOAP::Data->type(...) ## this makes gensym
    SOAP::Data->type(...) ## no refref, no gensym
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Maybe also try  $soap->call( 'sendxml', 'CLAWS', '<?xml...>' );

Here is my copy/paste of my soap tips (I hate soap), SOAP::Lite is too much work, SOAP::Simple is less work (but its simple, when stuck go to XML::Compile::SOAP, more verbose, but you want verbose with SOAP ) ... its built on XML::Compile::SOAP/http://perl.overmeer.net/xml-compile/#doc , see my treasure trove of soap examples and lost knowledge,$soap->transport->add_handler("request_send", \&pp_dump );, http://cookbook.soaplite.com/, SOAP endpoint , Re^3: SOAP::Lite login setup, Re: I do not understand how to write a SOAP server., An XML Overview Towards Understanding SOAP, Re^3: SOAP::Lite and custom envelopes, The XML FIles: Understanding XML Namespaces, How to Call a .NET-based Web Service Using the SOAP::Lite Perl Library (2002 )