CLARK, William Theodore Morehouse
| Service Number: | 6491 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 December 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Redfern, New South Wales, Australia, 11 January 1879 |
| Home Town: | Canterbury, Canterbury, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Redfern Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway Night officer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 15 April 1917, aged 38 years |
| Cemetery: |
Noreuil Australian Cemetery, Picardie |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Dec 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6491, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6491, 13th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 7 Oct 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 6491, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney | |
| 5 Feb 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 19th Infantry Battalion | |
| 15 Apr 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 6491, 19th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 6491 awm_unit: 19 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-04-15 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
William Theodore Morehouse CLARK, (Service Number 6491) was born on 11 January 1879 at Redfern. He commenced working for the NSW Railways as a junior porter, at the Car Washing depot, on 11 February 1895. He then worked at Sydney, Petersham and Croydon until 1900 when he became an adult porter, working anywhere in the Sydney District. In 1901 he came the Night-Officer at Towrang, then Exeter, Balmoral, Marulan and Como. From 1907 his position was designated Station Master, and he was assigned to the Superintendent of Lines Relief staff.
In 1914 he was again a Night-Officer, at first at Newcastle, and then West Maitland and Hornsby. The appointment to West Maitland was a demotion against which Clark unsuccessfully appealed, both to the Appeals Board and the Chief Commissioner.
It was from Hornsby that he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 15 February 1916, although he had enlisted in the previous December. He was married, to Florence.
Clark left Australia through Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Ceramic’ on 7 October 1916 and reached Plymouth on 21 November. He was promoted to be Acting Corporal and proceeded overseas to France in the last days of 1916.
He was killed in action 15 April 1917 when he was shot through the head by a sniper.
Submitted 31 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
William Theodore Morehouse CLARK was born in Redfern, Sydney in 1879
His parents were William Theodore Morehouse CLARK & Ann DAINER who married in Sydney on 6th November, 1871
He married Florence HANKINS in Sydney in 1902 - 4 known children, Muriel, William, Dorothy & Albert
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Theodore Morehouse CLARK, (Service Number 6491) was born on 11th January 1879 at Redfern (NSW). He commenced working for the NSW Railways as a junior porter, at the Car Washing depot on 11th February 1895. He then worked at Sydney, Petersham and Croydon until 1900 when he became an adult. porter. He could then work anywhere in the Sydney District. In 1901 he came the Night-Officer at Towrang, then Exeter, Balmoral (Village- Southern Highlands), Marulan and Como. From 1907 his position was designated Station Master,. He was then assigned to the Superintendent of Lines Relief Staff.
In 1914 he was again made a Night-Officer, at first at Newcastle, and then West Maitland and Hornsby. The appointment to West Maitland was a demotion against which Clark unsuccessfully appealed, both to the Appeals Board and the Chief Commissioner.
It was from Hornsby that he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces on 15th February 1916, although he had actually enlisted in the previous December. He was married, to Florence.
William Clark left Australia from Sydney aboard HMAT ‘Ceramic’ on 7th October 1916. He reached Plymouth (England) on 21st November. He was promoted to be Acting Corporal and went to France in the last days of 1916. He joined the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion on 5th February.
He was killed in action 15th April 1917. He was shot through the head by a sniper.
He was buried in the Norieul Australian Cemetery, 5¾ miles N.N.E. of Bapaume.
William Clark left a widow and five children - William, Muriel Florence, Allan William, Albert George and Dorothy.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
No railway employment
Click images to start slideshow.