No.35992, Private, Herbert CLARKE
Aged 37
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Herbert Clarke was born in Isleham (Newmarket Q1-1881 3B:550) baptised in Isleham on 15th April 1881, the 6th son of John and Naomi
CLARKE (née HUMAN).
1881 census...Aged 3 months, he was at Pound Lane, Isleham with his father John CLARKE [37] a bricklayer; his mother Naomi [34]; sisters Ada [13], Sarah A [12], Florence [6] and Mary [1]; and brothers John T.[10],Albert [8] Human [4] and Josiah [3]. All were born in Isleham. 1891 census...Aged 10, he was at Pound Lane, Isleham with his parents, brother John (now apprentice bricklayer), Albert (militia man) and Human (farm boy). Josiah has no occupation, Mary is a scholar like Herbert. New siblings are William [8], Arthur [7], Annie [4], Frederick {2] and Howard Stanley [7 months] all born in Isleham 1901 census...Aged 20 he was a bricklayer, boarding with the Macro family at 20 St Nicholas Street, Thetford. Still at home in Pound Lane, Isleham were his parents, brother William and Arthur (both labourers), Harold and Frederick. 1911 census...Aged 30 he was back at Pound Lane, Isleham with his widowed mother, brother Willie (bricklayer), and Harold Stanley Clarke a market gardener's labourer. Also recorded but crossed out was Frederick Talbot Clarke, a grocer's assistant. It is recorded that Naomi bore 17 children but 3 had since died. On 20th June 1919 his Army papers show that 8 brother and 5 sisters survived, but his father had died. Albert, Josiah and Harold were still in Isleham as was sister Mary. William was still in the army and the rest were scattered around UK. www.roll-of-honour.com says eight brothers served during the war, some discharged wounded, but only Herbert had died. |
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He enlisted in Newmarket 29th March 1916, attested Bury St Edmunds for Essex Regiment 30th March. He gave his age as 35 years 2 months, a bricklayer from Pound Lane, Isleham, next of kin, his mother Naomi Clarke. He was 5'2" (157.5 cm) tall, weighed 117 lbs (53.2 kg) and his chest was 35.5" to 38" (90.2 to 96.5 cm). He had wanted to join the 4th/8th Middlesex regiment (presumably to join one of his other brothers in the Army). He joined 3rd Essex Regiment 1st April 1916. He was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (Infantry) on 12th May 1916 and went to France via Folkestone-Boulogne on 27th August 1918, joining base depot on 28th August, then posted to 180 Coy on 23rd October. He embarked at Marseilles on 1st December 1916, arriving in Salonika on 11th December He left Salonika on 15th June 1917 and arrived in Egypt at Alexandria on 19th June and eventually found himself with 75 Battalion on 19th August 1918. On3rd November 1918 he was taken ill with dysentery and admitted to 69 General Hospital Deir el Belah (Deir El Belah is in Palestine about 16 kilometres east of the Egyptian border, and 20 kilometres south-west of Gaza.). His condition worsened on 23rd November and he died on 1st December 1918. His effects were sent to his mother c/o "Royal Standard" Mill Road, Cambridge where it seems his brother Frederick and sister Sarah were also. |
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