Clarke, Sydney Charles
No.2499 – L/Cpl Sydney Charles Clarke – 3rd Machine Gun Company AIF
Sydney Charles Clarke was born in Boulder WA in 1898 to William and Kate Clarke. After his birth the family moved to King Street East Fremantle where Sydney attended the local East Fremantle Primary School. After he left school he started work in the field of Engineering and began work at the Fremantle Powerhouse. In June 1915 when he was just 16 years old, Sydney enlisted into the AIF.
He was tall for his age and he was able to give the fake age of 21 years & 6 months old to the recruiters who accepted this. Sydney was given a medical examination and was found to be 5 feet 9 ½ inches in height; weight of 149 lbs; chest measurement of 34-36 inches; fresh complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
Sydney was originally allotted to the 2nd Reinforcements to the 28th Battalion, though a few days later this was changed to the 7th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion. Not much time was taken between Sydney’s enlistment and his departure for overseas as on the 25th June 1915, his reinforcement group left Fremantle on the H.M.A.T. “Karoola”. They arrived in Egypt towards the end of July, and were sent straight on to Gallipoli. Sydney and the 7th Reinforcements were taken on strength of the 11th Battalion on the 4th August 1915, just as the 11th Battalion were consolidating the newly captured Leane’s Trench. Sydney served through the rest of the Gallipoli campaign with the 11th Battalion. After the decision had been made to evacuate Gallipoli, the 11th Battalion were withdrawn and returned to Egypt on the 7th January 1916. Sydney spent the next two months with the 11th Battalion in the Egyptian desert, but in early March 1916 transferred to the 3rd Machine Gun Company AIF.
On the 29th March 1916, the 3rd MGC left Alexandria Egypt and headed for France. Arriving at Marseilles on the 5th April 1916, the men were sent north to the region around Fleurbaix and gained experience of trench life on the Western Front. From the 21st July 1916 the 3rd MGC supported the advance of the 3rd Brigade in their capture of Pozieres, until they were relieved by the 2nd Division. They came back into the line in August in the drive towards Mouquet Farm.
The remainder of 1916 was spent in Ypres (October) and then back to the Somme (Nov/Dec) and the new year of 1917 found them 3rd MGC still in the vicinity of Flers.
After the German withdrawal to their pre-prepared defence line called ‘The Hindenburg Line’ the 3rd MGC supported the 3rd Brigade in pressing the Germans retirement until they came to the Hindenburg Line. In April 1917 the 4th Division attempted to capture Bullecourt but were unsuccessful. On April 15th the Germans launched an attack on the Australian outpost line held by the 3rd & 5th Brigades. The 3rd MGC helped to repel the Germans after their initial breakthrough. On May 3rd 1917 another attempt was made to capture Bullecourt. The 2nd Division broke the line but casualties were high and were then reinforced by the 1st Division. The 3rd MGC played an important role in repelling the German counter attacks. On the 13th May Sydney was appointed Lance Corporal and the 1st Division were then taken out of the line for a well earned rest. During their break, on the 1st July 1917, Sydney was sent to the Machine Gun School at Camiers, though he rejoined the unit on the 28th July.
The 1st Division came back into the line to prepare for their role in the Third Battle of Ypres. They were to advance against the German positions along the Menin Road. Reports are varied as to whether this occurred on the 20th or 21st September but what is certain is that Sydney was killed. A Pte J.E. Palmer stated that Sydney was one of 5 gunners killed when a shell fell on their shell hole they were situated in. Pte R McCallum stated that Sydney was killed on the morning of the 21st September prior to a hopping over for an attack on Glencourse Wood;
“I was only three yards away when he was killed outright by a shell and we buried him where he fell about 250 yards to the left of the Woods and directly behind the Albert Redoubt. He was dark and inclined to be on the thin side. He came from WA. A cross was erected at the time.”
Sydney’s service record has a notation
“Buried Map No.28c. 55/20 about 100 SSE of Westhoek”.
Unfortunately after the war was over Sydney’s remains were not knowingly recovered and he is therefore commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. He had just turned 19 years old at the time of his death.