CLARK, William John
| Service Number: | 247 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 September 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Guildford, Perth, Western Australia., 12 September 1892 |
| Home Town: | Guildford, Swan, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Guildford Primary School, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | lntestinal Obstruction, Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England , 10 January 1918, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Willesden New Cemetery, England Grave K. 672. INSCRIPTION IN LOVING MEMORY OF THE DEAR HUSBAND AND DADDA OF EVA AND KENNETH |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Guildford St. Matthew's Anglican Church Honour Roll, Guildford St. Matthew's Anglican Church Men Who Laid Down Their Lives Honour Roll, Guildford State School Honour Roll, Guildford War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Corporal, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Dec 1914: | Involvement Corporal, 247, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Dec 1914: | Embarked Corporal, 247, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 10 Jan 1918: | Involvement Private, 247, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 247 awm_unit: 16 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-01-10 |
Help us honour William John Clark's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Nether Moore
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 10th January…… William John Clark was born on 12th September, 1892 at Guildford, Western Australia.
His father William John Clark (Snr), died in 1893 in Western Australia.
Ellen Jane Clark, mother of William John Clark, remarried in 1894 in Guildford, Western Australia to Thomas Pollard.
William John Clark enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 7th September, 1914 as a 22 year old, single, Labourer.
He was posted to 16th Infantry Battalion as Private on 7th September, 1914 for recruit training. He was promoted to Corporal on 1st November, 1914.
Corporal William John Clark, Service number 247, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Ceramic (A40) on 22nd December, 1914 with the 16th Infantry Battalion “D” Company.
On 12th April, 1915 Corporal Clark proceeded to join the M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli.
Corporal William John Clark was wounded at Gallipoli Peninsula on 2nd May, 1915. He was transferred to Hospital Ship Gascon from Gallipoli Peninsula with gunshot wounds to left shoulder on 3rd May, 1915 for Alexandria. Corporal Clark was transferred from Shebin el Kom Hospital to Convalescent Camp at Mustapha on 4th June, 1915. He was reported still at Convalescent Camp at Mustapha on 29th June, 1915 – awaiting Transport to rejoin his Unit. Corporal Clark was “discharged 42 Divn” at Mustapha on 18th July, 1915.
He was on strength at Australian Depot Stores at Ghezireh on 28th June, 1916 (?) then was to be transferred to London on 22nd July, 1916. Corporal Clark embarked on Royal George from Alexandria on 3rd September, 1916 to be Storeman with Australian Depot Stores.
On 18th September, 1916 Corporal Clark was marched in to Details Coy. No. 3 Camp at Park House, Wiltshire from Egypt.
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.
Corporal Clark was marched in to 4th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire from No. 3 Camp at Park House on 4th October, 1916.
On 22nd October, 1916 Corporal Clark was admitted to Sutton Veny Hospital, Wiltshire from Codford with Mumps. He was marched in to 4th Training Battalion at Codford from Hospital on 15th January, 1917. Corporal Clark was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire on 16th January, 1917.
He qualified 2nd Class at the 7th Rifle Course held at the School of Musketry, Tidworth, Wiltshire from 29th January, 1917 to 21st February, 1917 & passed as having a fair knowledge of the Lewis Gun.
Corporal Clark proceeded overseas to France from 4th Training Battalion on 9th July, 1917. He was marched in to 4th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 10th July, 1917. Corporal Clark was marched out from 4th A.D.B.D. on 25th July, 1917 to join his Battalion. He rejoined his Battalion in the field on 27th July, 1917.
On 11th August, 1917 Corporal Clark reverted to the rank of Private at his own request.
Private William John Clark as wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 16th August, 1917. He was admitted to 4th Australian Field Ambulance with Shrapnel wounds to Thorax. Private Clark was transferred on 17th August, 1917 (*date as per Casualty Form – Active Service) & admitted to 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 16th August, 1917. Private Clark was transferred to Ambulance Train 15 on 26th August, 1917 & admitted to 57th General Hospital with gunshot wounds to thorax & right abdomen. He was transferred to England on 6th September, 1917.
He was admitted to Kitchener’s Military Hospital at Brighton, Sussex, England on 7th September, 1917 with Shrapnel wounds to left Heel Thorax – Severe. The Hospital admission form records shrapnel wounds to “thorax, abdomen buttocks penetrating thorax & abdomen & injury to nerve sciatic.” Private Clark was X-rayed on 16th September, 1917 – left ankle & left thigh. He was x-rayed again on 25th September, 1917 – left thigh.
A marriage was registered in district of Brighton, Sussex, England in the December quarter, 1917 between William J. Clark & Eva K. Dore.
On 12th November, 1917 Private Clark was transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, Kent. He was discharged to Depot at Hurdcott on 16th November, 1917. He was marched in to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire on 16th November, 1917 & was medically classified as B1 b on 11th December, 1917.
Private William John Clark was sent sick to Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire on 8th January, 1918 with Gallstone. He was admitted the next day with Intestinal obstruction. The Medical Case Sheet reports “This man stated that in August last he had laparotomy performed for G.S.W buttocks & pelvis. He was taken suddenly ill on Jan’ 7. 18 whilst in bed with great pain in abdomen and vomiting. This had got worse until admission on Jan’ 9. 18. He was then very ill indeed with much distension of the abdomen continual vomiting, running pulse etc. He was operated on at once. About three inches of the sigmoid flexure were found to be black & completely rotten. There was no means of freeing this so Paul’s tube was tied in the bowel. Patient never rallied and died at 6 am Jan 10.18.”
Private William John Clark died at 6 am on 10th January, 1918 at Military Hospital, Fovant, Wiltshire, England from Intestinal Obstruction.
He was buried in in Willesden New Cemetery, Willesden, Greater London, England & accorded a Military Funeral. His wife – Mrs Clark, 45 Ilex Road, Willesden was present at the Funeral.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/new-cemetery.html
Click images to start slideshow.