Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Alias, - Andrew Gay and Edward McNamara

ENLISTED under ALIAS - own name, then Edward McNamara & Andrew Gay.

Rootsweb ID: I41927 Born Elliott CLARKE, 29 September 1882 in Nelson, South Australia
(SA Births 1842 - 1906 Book: 291 Page: 417 District: Bur.)

Father William Graham CLARKE and Mother Bessie Clarke (nee McNAMARA, b. 24/3/1879 in Burra, SA)
Mother lived at 22 Charlotte Place, off Charlotte Street, Adelaide, c/o Mr W Jordon.

Brother:  Kenneth Fred CLARKE  (b. 27/3/1881 in Nelson, SA)
Sister Mrs Catherine Jordan, lived at 18 Charlotte Street, Adelaide, SA.

29/10/1910  he had a SON - Alfred Graham CLARKE
Rootsweb  ID: I469155 Born 29 Oct 1910 in Glenelg, South Australia
(SA Births 1907 - 1928. Book : 853 Page : 21 District : Ade.)

Alfred's Mother: Daisy Ethel MIZON (b. 22/3/1886 in Norwood, SA)
her Father Alfred MIZON and Mother: Kate LEDDY.

FIRST ENLISTMENT - 4717 Elliott CLARKE

Stated Mother Mrs Bessie Clarke, c/o Mr W Jordan Charlotte Place, Adelaide, SA

Described as 32 years 7 months old; single; a Stockman; born at Burra, SA;
5' 4" tall; 152 lbs; fair complexion; brown eyes; brown hair; Church of England;
tattoos on both forearm

19/4/1915    appointed to 8th Company Base Infantry, 31st Reinf, 3rd General Hospital
                   Mitcham Camp

21/4/1915    enlisted at Keswick, South Australia

June 1915    entrained to Melbourne, VIC

15/6/1915    embarked from Port of Melbourne, onboard HMAT A62 Wandillaon
                   disembarked in Fremantle, WA
                   as a Private with the 1st reinforcements, 3rd Australian General Hospital

1/6/1915      AIF stated - no confirmation if he was discharged or deserted

SECOND ENLISTMENT - 1057  EDWARD McNAMARA

Described as 34 years of age; single; stated he was born at Mile End Road,
London, England; a Widower; worked as a Butcher; 5' 6" tall; 142.5 lbs;
Church of England

He stated his sister was Mrs Katherine Jordan (husband William Jordan) of Charlotte Street, Adelaide, SA.

25/11/1915    enlisted at Blackboy Hill, WA

29/11/1915    completed medical at Blackboy Hill

18/12/1915    embarked for Sydney, NSW, with the 3rd Miners Corp,
                     from 5th Military District, sent to 2nd Military District

27/12/1915    missed ship at Melbourne, VIC (fare to be deducted)

13/1/1916      AIF stated Private deserted in the 2nd Military District
                     (confirmed on 22/8/1918  by Victoria Barracks, Sydney, NSW)

THIRD ENLISTMENT - 4884 Andrew Gay

He stated he was last rejected from AIF due to deficient teeth.

Described as 36 years 3 months old, single; born in Burra, SA,
was an Engineer with Simpson & Sons in Adelaide, SA for 4 years;
148 lbs; fair complexion; hazel eyes; fair hair; Church of England;
tattoos on both forearms.

Son - Alfred Graham Clarke, lived at York Street, Prospect, SA

He stated his sister was Mrs Bessie Jordan

9/1/1917       enlisted at Longreach, Queensland

31/1/1917     appointed to 13th reinforcements, 31st Infantry Battalion, at Rifle Range

7/2/1917       embarked from Sydney, NSW onboard HMAT A18 Wiltshire
                    as a Private with 31st Infantry Battalion

11/4/1917     disembarked into Devonport, England

11/4/1917     marched into 8th Training Battalion, Hudcott, England

25/6/1917     He sent a letter home to his mother stating:

"My dear Mother,
 Well Mum I hardly know how to start writing, but I am still alive and well.  I cleared out
 over being transfered out of the Red Cross, and enlisted in the Mining Corps in W.A. and
 went to Egypt and put in 12 months in it but got Meningitus and was sent back.  When I
 left the Red Cross I enlisted as Pte E. McNamara and left a letter and my money to you
 through Kate, Mrs W Jordan, Charlotte Street, Adelaide, and this time I have enlisted as
 Andrew Gay, of the Burra and Kate as my next of kin and she can get you my money.
 I shall be over there soon for a day or two and then I shall be off across the blue sea
 again I shall write every week to Kate and she can write to me but she must address my
 letters as Pte. Andrew Gay, Frasers Hill, YMCA.  One can hardly expain things in this letter
 but I'll tell all when I come home and then you will understnad, one gets that hardened
 to things that he cares for nothing at all, but you must excuse me for not writing before
 but I was afraid of being found out and after all they would not have touched me but
 there was a chance as I thought of getting into trouble and I kept quiet. I promise if
 anything had of hapened to me you should have known about it, but it never and so I
 am going to France this time as a Machine Gunner, and I can tell you its no treat to be
 behind a gun firing 500 shots a minute, but I'd rather be there than in the front of it I am
 was in a scrap of it in the Egyptian Desert, there are all Light Horse there now and all the
 AIF are in the West, and I hope to be there soon.  I am getting a few days leave before
 I go so I'll come see you.  How I long to see you all again, but it won't be long.
 Remember me to the boys and all.  Hows Flo Reid and the Jordan family.  Write soon as
 I am longing to hear from you all and now I draw the line and I'll write again shortly
 and you can drop me a line.  Now good-night and God Bless you.
 I remain your loving son,  Eddie"

23/7/1917     proceeded overseas to France, ex 8th Training Battalion, Southampton
                    to join the British Expeditionary Forces

24/7/1917     marched in to 5th Australian Base Depot, Havre, France

30/8/1917     marched out to unit

1/9/1917       taken on strength as a Private with 31st Battalion, in the field

26/9/1917     killed in action, in the field, France

buried at:      Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Zillibeke, near Hooge, 1 3/4 miles
                    east of Ypres
                    Plot I, Row F, Grave 18

1/5/1918       AIF noted that his real names was  ELLIOTT CLARKE

Stated by NAA Records - mother Elizabeth Clarke, who lived at 22 Charlotte Place, Adelaide, SA
and sister  Mrs W Jordan at 18a Charlotte Place, Adelaide, SA

buried in:       Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Flanders, Belgium

His name is commemorated on Panel 118 at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT.

5/7/1932       Alfred G Clarke wrote to AIF about his father's medals
                    lived at 25 York Street, Prospect, SA and worked as a Fitter and Turner.

1/9/1932       AIF wrote to son Alfred Clarke stating, that unfortunately, as his father
                    Elliott served under the name Andrew Gay, and died under that name, his
                    medals and headstone would be engraved under that name.

Medals:         ALL in name of ANDREW GAY
                    British War medal (56492) and Victory medal (55573)
                    Memorial Plaque and Scroll (333722)

Submitted by Julianne T Ryan.  9/10/2016.  Lest we forget.