Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Clarrie was born on 18 Feb 1893 at Clare to Charles Stewart and Bessie Stewart (nee Overton).  He was the second eldest of 4 children in the family, all boys. His father was a farmer at Balaklava, before moving to Eyre Peninsula in 1908. The 4 boys moved with their family to the Eyre Peninsula, initially to “Burly Downs”, via Port Lincoln and then in 1916 to Butler Tanks, where his mother then became the Post Mistress at Butler.

Little is known of his schooling, other than he would have been overage for school when the family moved from Balaklava. He enlisted in the Army on 21 Feb 1917 at Port Lincoln; at the time he gave his occupation as farmer and the address of his next of kin (his mother) as “Burley Downs”, West Coast SA. He later changed the address of his next of kin to c/- Butler P.O., West Coast SA.

 On 8 Mar 1917 he reported to Mitcham for processing and was then sent to 2nd Depot Battalion (Bn) for training. A month later he was allocated to 13th Reinforcements/ 32nd Bn.

The 32nd Bn was raised at Mitcham on 9 Aug 1915 and sailed from Adelaide 0n 18 Nov 1915. It consisted of 2 companies recruited in SA and two recruited in WA. The Bn Suffered 718 casualties (90% of its fighting strength) at Fromelles (France) in Jul 1916, so was desperately in need of reinforcements.   

On 23 Jun 1917, after completing his training, he embarked at Adelaide on HMAT “Botha” bound for the UK, disembarking Plymouth (UK) on 25 Aug 1917. The next day he marched into 8th Training Bn at Hurdcott (UK) for additional training, where he remained for 4 months.

On 28 Jan 1918 he embarked at Southhampton bound for Etaples (France); on the same day he was transferred from 32nd Bn to 48th Bn. He was taken on strength by his new unit on 5 Feb 1918; however, it was only a short stay, as on 8 Mar 1918 he was admitted to hospital for a month with mumps.

The 48th Bn was raised in Egypt on 16 March 1916: half of its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia. The men of the new Bn were mainly from regional South Australia and Western Australia. The Bn suffered heavy casualties throughout 1916 and 1917.

Clarrie joined his unit in time to be involved in blocking the main road into Amiens when the Germans launched their last great offensive. He then took part in the battle of Amiens (8-10 Aug 1918), and the battle to seize the Hindenburg "outpost line" (18-20 Sep 1918), when the allies launched their offensive. This was the last major action for the 48th Bn. It was disbanded on 31 Mar 1919.

On 4 Jul 1919 he embarked at Southampton (UK) aboard SS ”Frankfurt” for return to Australia, disembarking in Adelaide on 17 Aug 1919. A month later (17 Sep 1919) he took his discharge from the Army in Keswick and returned to Butler Tanks, working on farms in the area: it was during this time that he met his wife to be, Hilda Louise Parker.

On 4 Aug 1920 he married Hilda at the residence of her father, Mr G.J. Parker, at Butler. The couple then lived on Part Sect 14, Hd of Butler and worked for Cowling and Hughes; they then purchased and moved onto their own farm, Sect 23, Hd of Moody, where they raised their only child, a daughter; their daughter attended school at Mt Hill.

It was also during this period that Clarrie became involved with the construction and development of the Butler Hall. His wife assisted in the Post Office.

The couple sold the farm and moved into Tumby Bay, purchasing a house in Tumby Terrace. Clarrie died on 7 Nov 1980 and is buried in the Tumby Bay Cemetery. His wife, Hilda, died on 19 Sep 1982 and is buried beside her husband.