No.5362, Private, Percy Samuel CLARKE
Aged 35
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Born Samuel Percy CLARKE in Stanton (1st qtr Thingoe 4a:639) son of Samuel and Hannah CLARKE (née ALLUM). His birth registration seems to be the only instance of him being Samuel rather than Percy.
1891 census...Aged 9, he was at 1 Mount Pleasant, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Samuel CLARKE [36] farm labourer born Stanton; his mother Hannah [29] born Chatham,Kent; brothers Fred W [6] and Sidney F [4]; sisters Olive M [7] and Lily E M [1]. All the children were born in Stanton.There had been Frederick Albert born and died in 1881. 1901 census...Aged 19, a private in the 3rd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, he was at St.Peter Port, Guernsey. 1911 census...Aged 30, a private in the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment he was in Mustapha Pasha Barracks, Alexandria, Egypt. A pension card has his mother at 150 Southgate Road, Bury St.Edmunds, later at The Barracks, Little Livermere. His brother Harry died Gallipoli in 1915 see here |
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He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds. [2624: 2646-2543] a farm in the South African Republic (Delareyville district: North West), 20 km south-east of Delareyville. Variant: Bosbult (Afrikaans spelling). On 31 March 1902, Damant's Horse, part of Lt-Col G.A. Cookson's column, whilst reconnoitring along the Brak Spruit (1)*, came in contact with a convoy of burghers under the command of Asst Cmdt-Gen J.H. de la Rey at Boschpan* and followed it onto Boschbult farm. Here superior Boer forces attacked the column which managed to hang on and entrench before the Boers retired at nightfall. In a fierce action the British lost 27 killed, 150 wounded and 75 prisoners. HMG IV pp.494-497 (map no.59); Times V p.520 (maps facing pp.524 and 536) On the 24th April 1915 the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment were at Ypres. On the night of 23rd/24th Apri, the battalion had been relieved and were back in the reserves between Frenzenberg and Verlorenhoek. That was swiftly changed and the 1st Suffolks were ordered to take up defensive position on the Frenzenberg Ridge and they were soon hard at it, digging in. This was swiflty interrupted when news came of a German break through in the north of the town and now only 12th London and 1st Suffolks stood between the Germans and Ypres. They were then instructed to proceed towards Fortuin, which they did, under heavy shelling. Finding on the way that a Canadian formation was about to be overcome, which would leave the left flank completely exposed, Capt Balders, in the absence of any more senior command, sent A and B companies (150 bayonets) to reinforce the Canadian left flank, drawing back the rest of the 2 battalions to cover Fortuin. Later in the next day, 25th, the situation looked so desperate that orders were given to destroy all maps and documents. Fortunately reinforcements arrived and the German attack lessened. The 24th was also the first time the Battalion experienced a gas attack. Of the 50 men of the 1st Suffolks killed or missing that day, only 6 have a known grave, the rest are recorded on the Menin Gate in Ipres.
click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
