Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Clarence Swann (Clarrie) Padman was born on the 25th May 1893 at Middleton, SA, the second son of Samuel Waterhouse Padman and Annie Elizabeth (Lillie) Ragless.

Samuel worked for the South Australian Insurance Company and later for the National Bank (Orroroo) and at the time of Clarrie’s birth he was in business at Middleton, SA. He was a lay preacher for over 50 years.

Clarrie’s siblings were Vernon Ragless (b 1891), Maud Lilian (1895), Eric George (1896), Alethe Dorothy (b 1898) and Marsden Waterhouse (b 1899).

Schooling

Clarrie commenced his schooling at Middleton where he gained a certificate of merit in 1905. He then moved to Adelaide and boarded with an aunt to attend Norwood School. He was living at Kent Town when he was awarded a first class certificate for the South Australian Sunday School Union scripture examinations. In 1907 he received an honourable mention in the “Eight Hours Day” prize essay competition.

In December 1907 Clarrie topped the Education Department Monitors’ Examinations (Class I), Norwood and he was a Senior Monitor at the School in 1908. In December 1908 he gained his Junior Certificate (passing five subjects - English History, Geography (credit), arithmetic, algebra and geometry) and he passed the Pupil Teacher entrance examinations.

Clarrie completed his secondary education at Adelaide High School (Pupil Teacher School). He gained his Senior Certificate in December 1909 passing six subjects (English Literature, Modern History, Latin Arithmetic and Algebra, Geometry (credit) and Trigonometry). He also passed subjects in the Art Examinations (First Grade Plain Geometry (June 1909), First Grade Model Drawing (December 1909)).
Clarrie was a member of the AHS first eighteen in both 1909 and 1910. He was a member of the Present team who played the Past students in a match in July 1910.

In 1910, Clarrie and RB Young became the joint editors of the Adelaide High School Magazine and their debut edition was well regarded.

In March 1910 Clarrie was promoted from Pupil Teacher Second Grade to Pupil Teacher Third Grade. He passed Intermediate Perspective in the Arts Examinations in June 1910 and First Grade Freehand Drawing in November 1910.

Clarrie was in the Senior Cadets for four years. Later letters published in the AHS Magazine show that Clarrie was known to his school friends as “Paddy”.

University

Clarrie commenced studying for and Arts degree at the University of Adelaide in 1912 and gained a Division 1 pass in Education in his first year. His University Registration Card (Registration No. 2400 below) shows that he passed English Language and Literature, Latin I and Physics I in 1913 and Latin II, English History, Psychology and Physics I in 1914. He passed Intermediate Measured Freehand in the Arts Examinations in December 1913. The Physics I he passed in 1914 was undertaken at the School of Mines.

University Sport

Football

Clarrie played B Grade football for Adelaide University in the Adelaide Students’ Association in the winter of 1914. He was a member of the 1914 B Grade Premiership side.

Athletics

In June 1914 Clarrie was second to P.T Smith in the 220 yards flat race at the Adelaide University Sports.

Cricket

Clarrie played cricket for the Adelaide University Cricket Club B Grade in the 1914/15 season. It appears that he was called upon to fill in during the holidays as the B Grade played with only seven men in their match in January 1915 against North Adelaide. Clarrie scored a duck and bowled taking none for eighteen.

Boat

The Daily Herald (Adelaide, SA : 1910 - 1924), 25 August 1915, listed CS Padman on the “Oarsmen’s Roll of Honour” for the University Club. However no other evidence has been located to suggest that Clarrie rowed for the University and it is probable that this should have been Edward Clyde Padman, BA, LL.B.

Early Career

Clarrie was an assistant teacher at the Norwood School the Norwood School in 1911 and 1912.

He played tennis for Middleton and for the Kent Town Methodist Church in the United Church Association. He would vacation with his parents at Middleton. He played tennis for Kent Town in the Kensington Gardens Association in 1914.

In January 1915 Clarrie was appointed an Assistant Teacher at Sturt Street School however it is possible that he did not teach at the school as by March 1915 he was appointed to the same role at Moonta District High School. He boarded with Mr R Learmond (the Mayor of Moonta) and quickly integrated into the community.

Clarrie played in the tennis tournament at Moonta in May 1915 and became a member of the Methodist Church Choir and Superintendent of the junior department of the Kindergarten School.

World War I

Clarrie enlisted on the 6th June 1915 (Service Number 6891). He was 22 years and one month old, 5’5¼” tall, weighed 122 lbs and had fair hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. He was appointed a Private in the 8th Field Ambulance.

On the 9th June 1915 a valedictory social was held at the Methodist Church Sunday School and on the 10th June 1915 an afternoon tea was held at the Moonta High School. Both functions were to say farewell to Clarrie who was described as an enthusiastic and capable teacher. Later in June, Clarrie was given a farewell in Kent Town.

Clarrie embarked from Australia onboard the ‘Geelong’ on the 18th November 1915 and appears to have come down with influenza on the journey or shortly after his arrival in the Suez Canal area as he was transferred ‘sick’ to the 2nd Casualty Clearing Station, Ferry Port, Egypt on the 5th February 1916.

On the 12th February 1916 he was discharged to duty at Serapeum, Egypt. He was then transferred to the 15th Field Ambulance at Tel el Kebir, Egypt on the 1st March 1916. In May 1916 it was reported in the South Australian papers that Clarrie had entered into the Imperial School for officers training at Zeitoun, Eqypt. However there is no evidence in Clarrie’s service records to support these reports.

On the 19th June 1916 Clarrie embarked onboard the ’Canada’ at Alexandrina, Egypt and disembarked on the 28th June 1916 at Marseilles, France. In late August or early September 1916 he was transferred to the 8th Machine Gun Coy.

Death

Clarrie was killed in action on the 29th November 1916 at Guedecourt and was buried between Guedecourt and Le Transloy, 3½ miles north of Combies. After the war Clarrie was reburied at the Bancourt British Cemetery (Plot IV, Row K, Grave No. 1), France.

Clarrie was clearly well respected by his former school mates at AHS and a number of items were published in the AHS School Magazine relating to his death and burial place.

The headmaster of the Norwood Public School said of Clarrie “He was beloved by everyone. His manly character, his chivalry, his attention to duty, his consideration for others, coupled with a deep sense of his responsibility, made him a general favourite”.

In addition to grieving parents and siblings, Clarrie left his fiancé, Daisy Steadman. Daisy never married and spent every Anzac Day for the remainder of her life at Horseshoe Bay where she and Clarrie had spent time prior to his departure to the war.

Clarrie’s personal effects (Wallet, Photos, Testament, Note Book, Military Certificate, Metal Watch and Films) were returned to Australia onboard the ‘Miltiades’ and were received by his father on the 30th July 1917. He left an estate valued at £300.

Two of Clarrie’s brothers, Vernon Ragless Padman and Eric George Padman were on active service at the time of Clarrie’s death.

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared by Beth Filmer for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (with assistance from Rob O'Shannassy, Janne Filmer & Kym Beilby) please see the document attached or the Adelaide University site AdelaideConnect at
https://connect.adelaide.edu.au/nodes/view/25733

Extract from the Adelaide University Football Club and Adelaide University Cricket Club document honouring "The Fallen" Anzac Day 2015.

Clarence played for AUFC in 1914 and also played Cricket with Adelaide University Cricket Club during the summer of 1914/1915 season. A teacher at Norwood School, he was studying for a BA.

Clarence enlisted on 14th June 1915 and joined the 8th Field Ambulance and later the 15th Field Ambulance. On 31st August 1916, he joined the 8th Machine Gun Company. He was killed in action near Gueudecourt on 29th November 1916.