CLARK, William Walter
| Service Number: | 3783 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Machine Gun Battalion |
| Born: | Edmonton, Middlesex, England, 17 January 1897 |
| Home Town: | Roma, Maranoa, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 5 May 1981, aged 84 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery & Crematorium, Brisbane |
| Memorials: | Town of Roma and Shire of Bungil WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3783, 26th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Wandilla embarkation_ship_number: A62 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3783, 26th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wandilla, Brisbane | |
| 16 Jun 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
William Walter Clark enlisted at 18 and a half years old during August 1915. He was the eldest male of 10 children, his family having come out to Australia from England in early 1914. His mother Alice had passed away soon after and William’s father, William Joseph Clark, enlisted in 1915 at the age of 45 and was killed in action at Mouquet Farm in 1916.
William Walter Clark gave his eldest sister as next of kin, living in Roma, Queensland.
William served in France from mid-1916 and joined the 2nd Australian Machine Gun Battalion in mid-1918.
He was awarded a Military Medal for his actions on 3 October 1918 near St. Quentin when after his machine gun had arrived on the objective, he returned over open ground swept by shell and machine gun fire to obtain machine gun gear dropped by men who had become casualties in the advance. It was only by his efforts the gun was got into action against the enemy. Also, during the day, he went forward under heavy machine gun fire over ground the Australians had been forced to evacuate and brought back two severely wounded men to the line. ‘The example set by Private Clark throughout the action was splendid.’
William Walter Clark returned to Australia during May 1919 and as the eldest son, he received the war medals of his late father as well as his own medals. He had two younger brothers also enlist, 4765 Pte John Clark 15th Battalion AIF (age 17), and 52992 Pte. George Clark 14th Battalion AIF (age 16), both of whom returned in 1919.
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