CLARKE, Bruce Graham
| Service Number: | 658 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 40th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Cleveland, Tasmania, Australia , 1 July 1891 |
| Home Town: | Cleveland, Northern Midlands, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Cleveland State School, Tasmania, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 28 March 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Campbell Town Kirklands Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, Campbell Town Roll of Honour, Campbell Town St Andrew's Presbyterian Church Honour Roll, Campbell Town War Memorial, Ross Conara Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France) |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jul 1916: | Involvement Private, 658, 40th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 1916: | Embarked Private, 658, 40th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Hobart | |
| 28 Mar 1918: | Involvement Sergeant, 658, 40th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 658 awm_unit: 40th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Sergeant awm_died_date: 1918-03-28 |
Help us honour Bruce Graham Clarke's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Bruce was the son of James and Annie Clarke, of "Bannockburn," Powranna, Tasmania. He had been born and raised at Cleveland, Tasmania.
His older brother, 1085 Pte. Wallace James Clarke, also of the 40th Battalion AIF, had been killed in action at the Battle of Broodseinde near Ypres on 4 October 1917.
The following article appeared in the Launceston Examiner in 1918, "Roll of Honour, Mr. J. A. C. Clarke, of "Bannockburn," Powranna (late of "Myrtlewood," Cleveland), has received a letter from Lieut. Lakin telling him about the death of his son, Sergt. Bruce Clarke. He was killed in action on March 28, being hit between the eyes by a bullet. He suffered absolutely no pain, as death was instantaneous. He was buried at Heilly, in the military cemetery there. This village is on the line between Amiens and Albert. Lieut. Lakin adds:--"Your son had been my platoon sergeant for about a month prior to his death, and as a soldier nothing I could say would do him justice. He was as cool and brave as any man I have seen under fire. His chief thoughts wore not for himself, but for his men first, he was recognised as being the best scout in the battalion, and his place will be very hard to fill."