Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of William John and Eva Kate Clarke, of Mayfield, New South Wales, Australia.

Sgt KHJ Clarke enlisted on 24 June 1940, initially serving with the 1st Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers. In September 1943 he joined #20 Squadron, RAAF.
Sgt Clarke was a crew member of a Catalina A24-78 which was engaged on special operations in the Java Sea area (laying of mines at Sourabaya, Java). At approx. 1700 hours on 20 May 1944, a signal was received stating that the aircraft had been badly holed in both fuel tanks and that the pilot was going to make for a pre-arranged safety point.
Wing Commander Havyatt then messaged that he was attempting to land at a nearer escape point but the aircraft failed to make land. Visibility was poor and the sea was fairly rough and although other aircraft searched the area, no sign of the aircraft or survivors were found. Aircraft on the same mission searched the area but without results and future searches also failed to find the aircraft or survivors. Sgt Clarke’s date of death was later given as 21 May 1944 along with other members of the crew who were -
Wing Commander Harry Geoffrey HAVYATT
FO Norman Bruce GILL
FO John Ainslie George MASLIN
FLT LT Frank William JEFFREY
FO Charles Reginald WHINCUP
SGT Howard William HALL
FLT SGT. Lionel DELLIT (Warrant Officer)
SGT Kenneth Howard John CLARKE
SGT Jack Desborough COWLEY
FLT SGT Francis Howard RUSSELL (Pilot Officer)