Clarke, Harry

1378 Driver Harry Clarke - Imperial Camel Corps & 14th Light Horse Regiment

Harry Clarke was born in Warrington Lancashire England in 1886 to Henry and Ellen Clarke. He had his early years in Lancashire but then the family came to Western Australia in the 1900's They then lived at 127 Forrest Street Fremantle (later renumbered 50 Forrest).

Harry found employment as a Lumper on Fremantle wharf.

On the 6th July 1915 Harry enlisted into the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 8 & 1/4 inches tall;

Weight - 160lbs;

Chest Measurement - 36-38 inches;

Complexion - Fair;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Brown.

Upon his successful enlistment he was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was assigned to No.15 Training Depot. He was taken through the basic infantry training at this depot camp. Harry had requested to be in the Light Horse so he was then transferred into the 3rd Depot Squadron which tested his horse riding abilities.

Harry was then transferred into the 11th reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.

On the 1st November 1915 this group departed from Fremantle Harbour aboard the transport ship HMAT Benalla. They arrived in Egypt three weeks later and were disembarked and sent into the Light Horse Reinforcement Camp.

As Gallipoli was being evacuated in December, the reinforcements including George were retained in Egypt. He was taken on strength of the 10th Light Horse Regiment when they returned to Egypt in January 1916.

Harry fell ill and was sent to hospital where he was diagnosed with venereal disease. He was in hospital till the 7th March 1916 and then he was sent to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Reserve Regiment. However Harry returned to hospital on the 9th March 1916. He was in hospital till the 18th May 1916 after which he returned to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Reserve Regiment.

On the 23rd June 1916 Harry was transferred to the 3rd Double Squadron. He served with this reserve regiment until the 2nd November 1916 when he was transferred into the 4th Battalion of the Imperial Camel Corps. His rank was altered from private to Driver.

Harry was continuing to have health issues and through 1917 and 1918 he was in between serving with his unit and prolonged stays in hospital. Though he did see action around Gaza, Beersheba and Jerusalem in 1917 and Es Salt and Jericho in 1918 with the Imperial Camel Corps.

On the 7th August 1918 Harry transferred to the 14th light Horse Regiment and served with them for the remainder of the war. They finished fighting the Turkish Army around Damascus in October 1918. After the loss of Damascus the Turkish forces surrendered and were followed a few weeks later by the Germans.

On the 5th March 1919 Harry boarded the transport ship Port Sydney and set sail for home, reaching Fremantle on the 1st April 1919.

Harry was discharged from the AIF on the 25th May 1919.

He returned home to Forrest Street and resumed work as a horse driver.

In 1928 in Fremantle Harry married Ethel Eliza Topliss.

Harry died on the 2nd May 1965 aged 79 at Hollywood Hospital. He was buried at Fremantle Cemetery plot Anglican MON A3 0059