Name
Harold Edward (poss Edward Harold) Clark(e)
12 September 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/05/1915
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
8787
Lincolnshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Panel 3.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Not on the Whitwell memorials
Pre War
Harold Edward Clarke was born on 12 September 1891 in Whitwell and christened on 3 January 1892, and his parents were Albert and Emma Clark (née Tarrier). They married in Ickleford on 8 October 1888. However is most records found Harold Edward was simply known as Edward.
In 1901 the family were living at Mill Lane, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire. Present were both parents: Albert (35, b Whitwell) and Emma (36, b Snailsworth, Beds), with Albert working, for himself, as a water cress grower. Their children were: Elsie (10), Edward (9) and Kathleen (1). Albert’s father, aged 75, was also living with them.
Edward enlisted into the 3rd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment ‘Special Reserve’, in Lincoln on 23 September 1908 as Private Edward Clark6559, attesting for 6 years service. At that time he gave birth location as was living in Whitwell and 17 years old and working as a labourer. He was 5’ 7 ¼”, weighed 133lbs, with light brown hair and blue eyes.
He served with them between 11 February 1909 and 14 June 1909, at which point he enlisted into the Regular Army, for 7 year’s service and 5 years in the Reserve, and at that point was re-numbered to 8787. He gave his father’s details as Albert Clark of 5 Providence Terrace, Highbury, Hitchin. During this period he had qualified for transport duties.
He was at Aldershot from 19 June 1909, Portsmouth from 20 September 1910(?) and then London from 28 December 1911 to 3 January 1912. From there he served in Gibraltar for two years, Bermuda from 18 January 1914 to 13 September 1914 and then went to have gone Canada, returning to England on 3 Oct 1914 via Halifax, Nova.
By 1911 the family were living at 6 Devon Terrace, Balmoral Road, Brampton Park, Hitchin, Herts. Present were both parents and all the children except Edward. Albert was now working as a labourer for the Urban District Council. The census recorded they had been married for 22 years with 3 children all living.
In the 1911 census, Edward was at Victoria Barracks, Portsmouth and listed as a Private in the 2nd Battalion Lincolnshire Regiment.
Edward’s father, Albert died late in 1919
Officially Edward was recorded as born in Whitwell and enlisting in Lincoln.
Wartime Service
Edward returned to England with his Battalion on 3 Oct 1914 from Canada, part of the British urgent recall of overseas troops to fight. After re-equipment & training they then proceeded to France via Le Havre, landing on 5/6 November 1914, joining 25th Brigade, 8th Division of IV Corps in the 1st Army. The division took part in the battle of Neuve Chapelle (10-13 Mar 1915) attacking an enemy salient. Despite success on the first day in capturing the village, the Germans had reinforced their positions, and little progress was made thereafter.
At the battle of Aubers (9 May 1915) which followed on from Neuve Capelle, the attack was designed as a two pincer movement, 25 brigade being part of the northern pincer, 2nd Lincs were in support but were ordered forward around 6.30 am following the stalling of the initial attack. They were to cross ground cratered from artillery at Rouge Banes near Fromelles but received heavy casualties for little success. It was "done with great dash and gallantry" but they could simply not advance in the face of scythe-like machine-gun fire. The Battalion lost 8 officers and 258 other ranks that day. The Battle was called off the next day with most troops being able to retire from their isolated positions during the night.
Edward was recorded as missing in the field on 9 May 1915 and then presumed killed in action on that date. He has no known grave, but is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
This is contained as part of the Royal Berkshire Cemetery Extension, 1km north of Ploegsteert.
Additional Information
His personal property was returned to his father on 1 March 1916 and then later his Death Plaque scroll and medals and he was sent a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £13 8s 5d.
His pension cards record Emma Clark his mother as the claimant and living at Dundee, Brampton Road, Hitchin x, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 6s 6d a week from 13 May 1919. She was widowed late in 1919.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
