CLARKE, Nicholas Wilson
| Service Number: | 144 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 November 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 41st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia, 11 June 1893 |
| Home Town: | West End, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Christian Brothers, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Tinsmith |
| Died: | Illness, United Kingdom, 7 June 1918, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Section IV, Row D, Grave 23 Epitaph reads "Willie, Beloved Son Of N.W. & B.T. Clarke" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Nov 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 41st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 May 1916: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 144, 41st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Demosthenes embarkation_ship_number: A64 public_note: '' | |
| 18 May 1916: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 144, 41st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Demosthenes, Sydney | |
| 7 Jun 1918: | Involvement Private, 144, 41st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 144 awm_unit: 41st Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-06-07 |
Help us honour Nicholas Wilson Clarke's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 7th June…… Private Nicholas Wilson Clarke was born at Rockhampton, Queensland on 11th June, 1893.
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 29th November, 1915 as a 22 year old, single, Tinsmith (listed as Warehouse employee in information supplied by his mother for the Roll of Honour) from West End, South Brisbane, Queensland.
Lance Corporal (rank as per Embarkation Roll) Nicholas Wilson Clarke embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Demosthenes (A64) on 18th May, 1916 with the 11th Infantry Brigade, 41st Infantry Battalion “A” Company & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 20th July, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
On 29th August, 1916 he was promoted to Lance Corporal while posted at Camp No. 24, Larkhill, Wiltshire, England.
Lance Corporal Clarke was written up for “conduct to the prejudice of good order & military discipline in that he used insolent language to his superior officer” on 1st November, 1916. He was deprived of his Lance Corporal stripes by Commanding Officer of 41st Battalion on 7th November, 1916.
He proceeded overseas to France via Southampton on 24th November, 1916.
[There is no record in his Service Record file of his whereabouts between 25th November, 1916 & 7th April, 1917.]
Private Clarke was sent to 3rd Divisional School from his Unit on 8th April, 1917 & rejoined his Unit on 15th April, 1917. He was sent to a Signalling Course on 15th May, 1917 & rejoined his Battalion on 28th May, 1917.
On 2nd August, 1917 Private Clarke reported sick. He was admitted to 9th Australian Field Ambulance on 2nd August, 1917 with Influenza & transferred the same day to 3rd D.R.S. (Divisional Rest Station). Private Clarke was transferred & admitted to 56th General Hospital at Etaples, France on 5th August, 1917. He was marked for transfer to England on 9th August, 1917 & embarked on Hospital Ship Stad Antwerp on 10th August, 1917 for England.
He was admitted to 2nd Birmingham War Hospital, Northfield, England on 10th August, 1917 with Influenza. He was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford, Kent, England on 14th September, 1917 & discharged to Depot at Weymouth on 19th September, 1917.
Private Clarke was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset on 19th September, 1917. He was transferred out on 22nd September, 1917 & was marched in to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 23rd September, 1917.
He was medically classified as fit for overseas training camp in 2 – 3 weeks on 4th October, 1917 & was transferred to Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill, Wiltshire on 30th October, 1917 from Hurdcott.
On 28th November, 1917 Private Clarke was transferred from Longbridge Deverill to 9th Training Battalion at Fovant, Wiltshire. He was On Command at Group Signalling School at Fovant from 1st December, 1917.
He was A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from 24.00 on 5th March, 1918 till 22.00 on 8th March, 1918. He was awarded 7 days Field Punishment No.2 & a total forfeiture of 10 days’ pay.
Private Clarke was marched in to 9th Training Battalion on 27th March, 1918 from 3rd Divisional Signalling School.
On 31st March, 1918 Private Clarke proceeded overseas to France via Southampton from 9th Training Battalion at Fovant. He was marched in to A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) at Rouelles, France on 1st April, 1918 then marched out to Front on 5th April, 1918 & rejoined his Battalion in the Field on 19th April, 1918.
Private Nicholas Wilson Clarke was wounded in action (Gas) on 26th May, 1918 at Villers Bretonnuex. He was admitted to 10th Australian Field Ambulance on 26th May, 1918 (being Gassed was classed as Wounded) then was admitted to 12th Casualty Clearing Station the same day – G.S.P. Private Clarke was transferred & admitted to 1st General Hospital at Etretat, France on 2nd June, 1918. He was invalided to England on Hospital Ship Essequibo on 4th June, 1918.
On 5th June, 1918 Private Clarke was admitted to V.A.D. Hospital, Tottenhall, (affiliated to Edmonton) having been gassed & was dangerously ill.
Private Nicholas Wilson Clarke died at 5.55 pm on 7th June, 1918 at Tottenhall V.A.D. Hospital, Palmers Green, N. (affiliated to Edmonton General Military Hospital), London, England from Pneumonia following Gas Poisoning. (Note: The Report of Death of a Soldier – (Army form B 2090) & Morning State of Sick form recorded his rank as Signaller.)
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
According to information provided by his mother for the Roll of Honour - Private Nicholas Wilson Clarke was the “Holder of Corporal, Grenadier and First Signaller’s certificates. Born 11th June 1893, buried 11th June 1918 just 25 years intervening.”
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/uploads/4/9/7/8/4978039/clarke_nicholas_wilson.pdf
Click images to start slideshow.