Clarke, John
No.8972 John Clarke 3rd Australian General Hospital
Born in Morecombe Lancashire in 1880 to William and Jane Clarke, John received his early schooling in Lancashire. Unfortunately, his father died in 1898 but the 1901 census still has him living with his mother and siblings in Morecombe. The 1911 census has John still living in Morecombe, with his occupation listed as a butcher, but now he was living his wife Lily and son Eric who was listed as being just 1 year old.
Having arrived with his wife Lily in Western Australia in 1912, they had set up residence in Central Ave Beaconsfield. John continued working as a butcher until he enlisted in August 1915.
Due to his experience of having spent 16 years in England as a member with the Morecambe Lancashire branch of St John’s Ambulance; it made sense upon enlistment for John Clarke to join the Australian Army Medical Corps.
After being passed as fit during his initial medical examination in Perth, he was utilised as a medical orderly in various camps in WA such as Blackboy Hill & Belmont racecourse. This training for medical staff at different camps was not unusual as is shown by No.8811 Pte George Davidson;
October 13th 1915: Was warned that I was to be included in a small party headed by Sgt Constable to transfer to Belmont Racecourse as Medical Unit to the troops training there.
October 14th 1915: My transfer to Belmont was deferred temporarily & I was posted as an assistant to Sgt Brennan in the dispensary. {At Blackboy Hill Camp}
October 28th 1915: Was today transferred to Belmont with 3 others
December 16th 1915: Required to shift from Belmont today owing to the approaching racing season. We were transferred to Claremont and were accommodated in the W.C.T.U. casualty room at the Claremont Showgrounds.
It was not until early 1916 that John Clarke was attached to a unit for service overseas. Along with four others, John formed the 14th Reinforcements to the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital.
The 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital had departed Australia with the 2nd contingent in December 1914 and had served in Egypt & Gallipoli. During the Gallipoli campaign it had been based at Lemnos, though its members were spread across duties on Lemnos, Cape Helles, Anzac & the various transport ships taking wounded back to Egypt.
John’s reinforcement group sailed from Fremantle WA aboard the A28 H.M.A.T. Miltiades on the 12th February 1916. Though only a small medical detachment they were joined aboard by another medical reinforcement group to the 4th Field Ambulance as well as infantry reinforcements for the 10th, 11th, 16th, 27th, 28th & 32nd Battalions.
During the voyage the medical men were called on due to an unusual event of a giant wave crashing into the ship. As described by George Davidson;
February 16th 1916: Huge waves washed over the ship & there was water everywhere. Between 6 & 7am a huge wave dished against one of the huge out houses on the port after well deck and smashed it to splinters causing many casualties. One Arthur Gillies of the 14th/11th (WA) was killed instantly & several others were seriously injured. A busy morning for the AMC men but we were equal to the occasion. The remains of the late Arthur Gillies was committed to the deep at 4.15pm. The body was sewn in canvas & lowered from the Poop deck after which the buglers sounded the Last Post. During the proceedings the engines were stopped as a mark of respect and all was quiet on board.
February 17th 1916: Weather fine & getting hot. Pte Rowntree of the 3/32nd (SA) who was injured yesterday died this evening.
On February 24th the Miltiades arrived at Colombo where the men were given leave over two days to see the city and by the 26th they were on their way to Suez where they arrived on March 9th.
After arrival John Clarke & the other AMC men from the Miltiades left Suez by train for Zeitoun and were given a day or two to see the sites of Cairo. Instead of being allotted to the respective reinforcement units these men were instead sent to bolster the numbers at No.3 Australian General Hospital at Abbassiah.
Taken on strength of the 3rd AGH John Clarke set up his tent accommodation with several other Medical Corps men he had shared the voyage with. His tent mates were, No.1205 Pte Reginald Bentley-Taylor, No.8811 George Davidson, No.8815 Pte Robert Leivesley, No.8974 Pte Ralph Mole, No.8820 Pte Alex Stewart, 8821 Pte James Williams & No.8822 Pte PT Young. All were newly arrived reinforcements apart from Pte Reg Bentley-Taylor who had served with the 2nd ASH during the Gallipoli campaign before returning to Australia & re-embarking. (pictured below)
After several months service with No.3 AGH in Egypt, John & his friends were told in September to make ready to leave for service in Europe as No.3AGH was being replaced in Egypt by No.14AGH. All the necessary preparations were made & the men were embarked at Alexandria on the 25th September 1916. Initially the men were not sure if their destination was to be England or France but halfway through the voyage it was confirmed they were being sent to Blighty.
After arriving at Southampton, John Clarke and his unit were given orders to travel by train to Brighton, where No.3 AGH set up their equipment at Kitchener Hospital.
John Clarke had spent a month working at No.3AGH though unfortunately through ill health he ended up as a patient. Six days after being admitted to hospital, John Clarke died, the official cause being stated as Eudocarditis & Pneumonia. George Davidson recorded;
7th November 1916: Jack Clarke of WA admitted to hospital…
Thursday 16th November No.8972 Pte J Clarke of Fremantle WA and who left Fremantle with me in the Militades died at 1 o’clock this morning of Heart Dilation following broncho-pneumonia. His remains are being sent to Lancashire where his people live.
18th November 1916: The whole day off. At 8am the body of the late Jack Clarke was removed to the Station and I was chosen as one of the bearers. Fully 100 men marched behind the coffin and paid the last respects to our late comrade.
John Clarke’s remains were sent up to Morecambe Lancashire and his burial conducted on the 20th November 1916 at Torrisholme Cemetery, attended by several family members. There are 64 casualties of the 1st & 2nd World War buried in this cemetery though John Clarke is the only member of the Australian forces to be buried here.
As a result of her husband’s death & with no reason to stay in Australia, John’s widow Lily returned to England, taking up residence once again in Morecambe.