LARK, Clifford Matthew
| Service Number: | 60480 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 June 1918 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 16th to 27th Reinforcements (NSW) |
| Born: | Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia, 14 May 1900 |
| Home Town: | Hurstville, Kogarah, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Arncliffe, New South Wales, Australia, 30 December 1990, aged 90 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Municipality of Hurstville Pictorial Honour Roll No 2, Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jun 1918: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 60480, 16th to 27th Reinforcements (NSW) | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 1918: | Involvement Private, 60480, 16th to 27th Reinforcements (NSW), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Bakara embarkation_ship_number: A41 public_note: '' | |
| 4 Sep 1918: | Embarked Private, 60480, 16th to 27th Reinforcements (NSW), HMAT Bakara, Sydney |
Help us honour Clifford Matthew Lark's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Sydney Technical High School
Clifford Matthew Lark was born on May 14, 1900(1), in Hurstville, New South Wales, Australia, to parents Harriet Sybella and Henry John Lark(2). He was one of 4 brothers and had a sister however she passed away shortly after birth(3). Lark attended Sydney Technical High School from 1914 to 1918(4), where he was recognized for his academic achievements and disciplined nature. Before the war, he worked as a clerk(5), residing in Hurstville and Kogarah, NSW.
Clifford Matthew Lark enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on June 26th, 1918, at 18(6). with the service number 60480. He embarked from New South Wales on the HMAT A41 BAKARA to the UK on September 4(7), 1918, joining the 16th to 27th reinforcements. He then went on to do his military training on the Salisbury plains(8). He was attached to the 1st Australian Base Depot but did not see any fighting. He was sent to France after the war in January 1919, presumably to assist with the clean-ip
Clifford Lark returned to Australia on 6 September 1919. He lived a productive life post-war. In 1923 he married Grace Amelia Emily Redwood and they had two daughters, Rhoda and Aileen. However, a tragic event in 1925 claimed the lives of his twin daughters shortly after their birth, followed by his wife in December of the same year. Lark remarried to Mary Ann May White on 3 March 1928 and they had four children: Francis William Lark, Patricia Ellen Ann Lark and John Henry Lark. Lark also served his country after the war, he found work as a deputy inspector of the Mumbulla Shire Fire District and later as a fire officer(11).
Clifford Matthew Lark lived a long life. He died on 30 December 1990, aged 90, in Arncliffe, New South Wales(12). Lark’s dedication and service are commemorated in the First World War Roll of Honour at Sydney Technical High School.
References:
Robert Devlin, Clifford Matthew Lark, Research on Google Drive, 2017
Clifford Matthew LARK, https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=170741 - The AIF Project 2024
Clifford Matthew LARK, https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/156723
Clifford Matthew Lark, https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=7377344&isAv=N, 2015
Clifford Matthew Lark https://www.awm.gov.au/research/guide/ww1-steps - 7 January 2021
https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/schools/resources/research-a-soldier - 18 March 2020
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1226
Jacaranda Retroactive 2 Stage 5 NSW Australian Curriculum - 12 April 1918, unknown Australian photographer
1) https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/156723
2) Google drive research
3) Google drive research
4) Google drive final grades
5) Google drive research
6) https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=170741
7) https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/156723
8) https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/246
9) Google drive research
10) https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1226
11) Google drive research
12) Google drive research
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