Clare, Clarence Malcolm
No.136 – Corporal Clarence Malcolm Clare – 44th Battalion AIF
Clarence Malcolm Clare was born in Coolgardie WA in 1895 to William and Lavinia Clare. Soon after his birth the family moved to the Perth area and set up residence in Cottesloe Beach (Mosman Park). Clarence went to Cottesloe State School and after leaving took up work as a Printer’s Machinist in Henry Street Fremantle.
Clarence also spent two years in the 86th Infantry Regiment. During the early war years he spent time on Rottnest Island as a guard to the German internees.
Clarence enlisted into the AIF on the 16th January 1916 and after being given a medical examination was passed as fit. The medical examiner found him to be 5 feet 4 inches tall; weight of 117 lbs; chest measurement of 32-34 inches; fresh complexion; brown eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Clarence was initially allotted to No.1 Area Depot camp and then assigned to the 1st Reinforcements to the 44th Battalion. This was soon changed and Clarence joined the 44th Battalion in “A” Company and the regimental No.136. His brother Alfred was also a member of the original 44th Battalion.
The 44th Battalion trained at Claremont Camp until the end of May, for on the 6th June 1916 they departed Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Suevic”. On the voyage Clarence was admonished by the CO for gambling but they finally arrived in Plymouth England on the 21st July 1916 and were marched into the 3rd Division training grounds on the Salisbury Plains. They were in England until late November 1916, for on the 25th they embarked from Southampton for France.
On arrival in France they were sent to the Armentieres region where they would spend their first few months. After that period was over they were transferred to the Ploegsteert sector near Messines. On June 7th 1917 the 44th Battalion took part in the Battle of Messines and the German lines were captured though heavy casualties resulted due to artillery fire. Clarence survived the initial assault but was wounded in the hand on the 25th June 1917. He was evacuated back to the 18th General Hospital at Camiers and was then shipped back to England where he was admitted to the King George Military Hospital. On the 23rd July he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield. Four days later he was transferred to the infantry depot at Weymouth to convalesce. Several months were spent in England at depots at Weymouth and Hurdcott. In April 1918 he was sent to the 9th Training Battalion at Fovant. Returning to France in June he was sent to the 41st Battalion AIF, though on the 9th July had transferred back to the 44th.
On August 8th 1918 the large offensive against the Germans was launched, the 44th Battalion advancing from Hamel. Casualties for the 44th were relatively light though during the early stages of the attack Clarence was shot and killed. His mates buried him just east of Hamel and marked his grave with a cross.
After the war the war graves parties recovered Clarence and laid him to rest in the Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery in plot III.C.10. His brother Alfred survived the war and came home in 1919