Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Walter Clark was born on the 30th of December, 1894 in Antechamber Bay, Kangaroo Island. He was the youngest of six children and had two sisters and three older brothers. His father, Robert Clark, was 43 years old and his mother, Fanny Lashmar, was 39 when Walter was born.

After Robert and Fanny’s marriage in Adelaide on 30th November, 1874 they settled in Kangaroo Island where all six children were born. Whilst there is minimal information about Walter’s early life, we do know that he spent his childhood growing up on Kangaroo Island. Prior to enlisting for the war Walter was a farmer along with his father on Kangaroo Island.

Walter Clark enlisted for World War I on the 8th July, 1915 with the permission of his father due to his age. At the beginning of the war, the enlistment age was 21 and Walter being only 20 years old and 7 months needed the permission of his father before enlisting. The enlistment age was changed to 18 later in the war. Walter was attached to the 32nd Battalion, in B Company.

After completing basic training in Adelaide with A & B companies, they were joined by companies C & D from Western Australia. On the 18th November, 1915 Walter embarked the HMAT ‘Geelong’ from Adelaide bound for Egypt. They arrived in Suez on the 18th December, 1915 and disembarked the ‘Geelong’.

Nearly a month after arrival, Walter was admitted to the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital in Ismailia, Egypt on the 28th January, 1916 with influenza. A week later, he was transferred to the 2nd Australian General Hospital, with influenza and diagnosed with a mitral systolic murmur and cardiac displacement. He was transferred another two times, but finally moved to the 1st Auxiliary hospital in Heliopolis, Egypt on the 13th March, 1916 with valvular disease of the heart.

Due to his ill health, Walter was returned to Australia on the 11th April, 1916. He embarked the ‘Runic’ in Suez bound for Adelaide, Australia. The Runic arrived at Australian shores on the 14th May, 1916 and Walter was subsequently discharged on the 23rd June, 1916 as he was found medically unfit for war due to his heart problems.

Walter served for 352 days, 181 of which were abroad. He received two service medals; the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. A detailed medical discharge form from two days after Walter’s arrival in Adelaide reads “Discharge as permanently unfit? Yes. Congenital valvular disease of heart and marked deformity of chest. Should not have been enlisted.”

There is little further information about Walter’s life after he was discharged but records show he lived in Adelaide. Current available records suggest that he did not marry.

Walter Clark sadly passed away on the 23rd April, 1925 in Brighton, South Australia. His eldest brother, Robert Thomas Young Clark also died just 11 days earlier in Naracoorte, South Australia. The news of the two deaths of both highly respected Island boys sent a shock to all who knew them in Penneshaw. We know from Walter’s obituary that the Penneshaw community was aware of his poor health. His obituary reads, “Wally was well liked by all his friends, and nobly did his duty in the war, since when he has been in in-different health.” Walter Clark was buried with his father Robert Clark in the Brighton (Saint Jude) Cemetery. His brother Robert Thomas Young Clark was buried in the Naracoorte Cemetery.