Clarke, John
No.406A – Private John Clarke – 11th Battalion AIF
John Clarke was born in Birmingham England in 1894 to Henry & Ellen Clarke. He was schooled in England and then the family came out to Western Australia, settling at 127 Forrest St East Fremantle. John took up work as a Dairyman and after war was declared he tried to enlist. Being less than 21 years old his parents had to sign the consent form. They did initially sign but then withdrew their consent. John therefore waited until he turned 21 years old.
On the 10th January 1916 John went to the Perth recruitment office and joined the AIF. He was given a medical examination and was found to be 5 feet 3 ¾ inches in height; weight of 135lbs; chest measurement of 33-36 inches; fair complexion; grey eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.
After spending a few weeks at No.44 Depot, on the 28th January 1916 John was assigned to B Company of the 44th Battalion with the regimental No.406. He trained with this unit in Claremont Camp until the end of May 1916. In June they were told they would be leaving soon and on the 6th June they boarded the H.M.A.T. “Suevic” in Fremantle harbour and left for overseas. On the 21st July 1916, they arrived at Plymouth England. A few days before they reached England John got into trouble for some youthful hijinks in throwing bread at dinner and for refusing to give his name when asked. He was given 1 day of Field Punishment No.2. After arrival the men were given a short stint of leave, during which time John contacted VD. On the 14th August 1916 he was admitted to Bulford Hospital and returned to the 11th Training Battalion on the 28th August 1916.
As some of the Australian battalions in France were low in numbers, some of the 44th Battalion were transferred to France. John was one of these and he joined the 11th Battalion in the field on the 1st October 1916.
On the 29th November he was admitted to hospital with influenza and he was out of action for some time, only rejoining the 11th Battalion on the 27th January 1917. He spent the next few months with the 11th Battalion and during the battle of Bullecourt on the 8th May 1917 was wounded in the hand and leg. He was sent back to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station and subsequently to the 26th General Hospital.
His wounds were deemed serious enough for evacuation to England where he was admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital at Bristol. On the 21st May 1917 he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital where his condition improved so much that he was given a period of furlough. On the 9th July he finished his period of leave and reported to the Overseas Training Depot at Perham Downs. He spent a few weeks here but soon returned to France, reporting back to the 11th Battalion on the 20th August 1917. John served through the Third Battle of Ypres in September/October 1917 without a scratch and continued to serve with the 11th through the winter of 1917/18.
On the 9th February 1918 John was sent to the 2nd Army Infantry School for a period of instruction and returned to the 11th Battalion on the 17th March 1918. Four days later the Germans launched their large offensive called operation Michael which broke through the Third & Fifth British Armies. The 3rd & 4th Australian Divisions were immediately sent south to the Somme to try and stem the breakthrough, and they were soon followed by the 2nd & 5th Divisions. The 1st Australian Division was the last to be sent south and they had just reached Amiens when news came through of another breakthrough to the north. The 1st Division were put back on the trains and sent to Hazebrouck to form a line of defence against the advancing Germans. They succeeded in stopping the Germans and immediately started pushing the Germans back.
The 11th Battalion took part in actions around Merris and Meteren in April and May 1918. On the 4th May John was admitted to Hospital ill and only rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 7th June 1918. The 11th Battalion were still in the same vicinity. John stayed with the 11th Battalion until the 19th July 1918 when he was sent to the Army’s School of Instruction. He rejoined the 11th Battalion on the 28th July 1918.
John reported back just in time as the 11th Battalion were getting set to move south. A large offensive was being planned with an advance by Australian, British, Canadian and French troops from in front of Amiens. The other four Australian divisions would advance on August 8th while the 1st Division would come in and continue the advance on August 9th. The build up took place with as much secrecy as possible for if the Germans found out that the Canadians had been brought down they would be certain to realise that an attack was imminent.
When August 8th dawned the advance went ahead successfully except for a small section of the British front, however all was in readiness for the 1st Division. The 11th Battalion and its sister battalions had to march for a long time as the advance had captured a large amount of territory, but finally they relieved other Australian battalions and took up the advance.
The 11th Battalion was to capture Lihons, and unfortunately for the 11th, the Germans had this site well defended with machine guns covering all approaches. On the 10th August the 11th Battalion advanced and were cut to pieces. Many men who had survived the Turkish fire at Gallipoli, the rain of shells and fire at Pozieres, Bullecourt and Passchendaele fell under the scathing fire. John received multiple wounds and was evacuated back to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station at Daours. Lt-Colonel A.C. Pearson, the O.C of the 55th CCS wrote that John was;
“admitted to this Casualty Clearing Station on 11-8-18 suffering from Gunshot wounds of the abdomen. Everything possible was done for him, but he died on the 13-8-18. He was too ill to leave any message. He was buried by the Reverend C.V. Gamplin-Cogan (CofE) Chaplain attached to this C.C.S. in Daours Communal Cemetery Extension.”
After the war John’s grave was left at Daours Communal Cemetery Extension in plot IV.B.9. John’s brother Harry Clarke also served in the war with the Camel Corps and the 14th Light Horse Regiment. He returned home in 1919. John’s brother in law Pte William Jones of the 48th Battalion died in Belgium in October 1916 and is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.