Clarke, William Frederick

No.2800 – Private William Frederick Clarke – 11^th Battalion AIF

William Frederick Clarke was born in Melbourne Victoria in 1889 to William and Emma Clarke. The family firstly moved to South Australia and then to Western Australia where they took up residence at Alexander Road South Fremantle. After leaving school William began work as a plumber.

On the 1^st July 1915 he enlisted into the AIF and was passed as fit. The medical examination found him to be 5 feet 6 inches in height; weight of 162 lbs; chest measurement of 35-37 inches; fresh complexion; brown eyes and black hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. William was assigned to the 9^th Reinforcements to the 11^th Battalion AIF. This group trained in WA until the end of September 1915. On the 1^st October 1915 they boarded the transport ship H.M.A.T. “Hororata” in Fremantle and sailed for Egypt.

After arriving in Egypt the men were sent to the Infantry Depot and were not sent on to Gallipoli due to plans then underway to evacuate the peninsula. They therefore waited for the arrival of the 11^th Battalion. The 11^th Battalion arrived back in Egypt in early January 1916 but William did not immediately join up with them. On the 26^th January he was admitted to No.4 Auxiliary Hospital with mumps, returning to the Depot camp on the 11^th February 1916. Also during this time William was tried by a Field General Court Martial for being drunk while on active service and committing an offence against an Egyptian inhabitant. He was found guilty on both charges and was sentenced to 6 months of detention in camp and the forfeiture of 90 days pay. The 6 months of detention was later changed to 3 months detention and also three months of Field Punishment No.2.

As a result William did not join the 11^th Battalion in Egypt but remained on the strength of the 3^rd Training Battalion. He embarked with the 3^rd Training Battalion from Alexandria on the 9^th May 1916. After arriving at Marseilles, the men were entrained north, where they arrived at Etaples on the 20^th May 1916. The 3^rd Training Battalion was reformed in England, though William remained in Etaples where he joined the 1^st Australian Division Base Depot. William stayed at the 1^st ADBD for a month, and was finally sent to the 11^th Battalion, being taken on strength of that unit on the 23^rd June 1916.

The 11^th Battalion were soon on their way to the Somme battlefield. The battle of the Somme began on July 1^st 1916 though the Australians didn’t become involved until the 21^st July. The 1^st Division, including the 11^th Battalion were tasked with the capture of Pozieres. They succeeded in the capture though casualties were very heavy. On the 25^th July 1916 William was wounded and was taken back by stretcher bearers but it appears he didn’t reach a dressing station and he was initially labelled as missing in action. In June 1917 a court of inquiry was held which established that William died at Pozieres.

During the battle it seems that after William had died of his wounds he was buried about ¾ of a mile N.E. of Albert. Fortunately after the war his grave was located and he was exhumed and reburied at Pozieres British Cemetery in plot III.K.31.

His brother, William John Clarke served in the 7^th Field Company Engineers and 2^nd Pioneer Battalion and was awarded the Italian Bronze Medal for Valour as well as being Mentioned in Dispatches. He returned home in 1918 being blind in one eye and continued to live in Fremantle.