Name
William Alfred Clark
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
05/12/1918
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
07664
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LESSINES COMMUNAL CEMETERY
W. of the Mortuary or on the S. Bdry. W. of gate.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Matthew’s Church Memorial, Oxhey, Bushey Town Memorial
Pre War
Born in 1885 in Coates, Sussex, William Alfred Clark was the fifth of seven children of William George Clark and his wife Emily. His father, who was born in Watford, was a domestic coachman and the family spent many years in Sussex.
The three oldest children had left home by 1911 and the remainder of the family had moved to 25 Chalk Hill, Oxhey in Hertfordshire. Since coach and horses was rapidly being replaced as a means of transport by motor transport, William’s father now earned his living as a tobacconist and confectioner. William, who was sixteen, was employed as a merchant’s clerk.
In 1918 William married Dorothy Ada Bish in Watford. She was a typist and shorthand writer, and was the third of five children living with her family at 45A, Villiers Road, Oxhey.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps and served as Lance Corporal 07664. He was killed in an explosion whilst moving a German land mine. This was just a few months after having married Dorothy.
William was buried at Lessines Communal Cemetery and is commemorated on the Bushey Memorial and at St Matthew’s Parish Church.
Dorothy remained at 45A Villiers Road after William’s death and, according to William’s pension record, was awarded a £5 grant on 04/02/19 and a pension of 13/9 from 30/06/19.
She re-married in 1922 to a Lancelot White and the dependant was then identified as the father W G Clark living at 27 Bourne Hall Road, Bushey.
Additional Information
Information provided with the kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
