Name
Arthur William Clarke
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/08/1916
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/2182
The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 5 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Saviour's Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
Albert was the son of Mr and Mrs Walter Clarke of 95 Station Road, Whittlesey, Peterborough.
His home was at 134, Nightingale Road, Hitchin with Mrs Batchelor. He was unmarried
Prior to joining up he had been employed by Brookers of Hitchin for four years. He had been born in Bourne in Lincolnshire, was resident in Whittlesea near Peterborough and enlisted in Marylebone in London.
Wartime Service
Albert was given the Regimental Number G/2182 and posted to the 8th Battalion of the Regiment and was killed in action in France. The Battalion was in the 17th Brigade of the 24th Division. Earlier he had been wounded at Loos when he was shot through both legs and was transferred to a hospital in Lewisham.
On the day of his death the Battalion made an attack near Waterlot Farm in the Somme sector. The Battalion, mainly due to their bombers, captured their only objective, the north section of the German ZZ Trench 500 yds east of Waterlot Farm. The casualties for the day were 358 which was over one third of the fighting strength of the Battalion.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Pier 5 Face D of the great Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
