Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Helles Memorial | Panel 2 to 7. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.119 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 59B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | 1914 (Mons) Star Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal | ||
Early Life :
Herbert was born at Chatham 7th July, 1874. Husband of Mrs Marion Clark, of 6 Norwood Terrace, Crownwood, Milton, Kent. Employed at Messrs. Wills & Packham Ltd. of Sittingbourne. Later resident at 72 Crown Road, Sittingbourne, Kent. Father of three little girls.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: Deal Bn. R.N. Div RMLI |
| Action : Gallipoli |
The Gallipoli Campaign was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. in a failed attempt to defeat Turkey by seizing the Dardanelles and capturing Istanbul. Ill-conceived and planned, the initial effort by the Royal Navy failed to force passage through the Dardanelles by sea power alone. It was then realised that a land force was needed to support the project by suppressing the Turkish mobile artillery batteries. By the time all was ready the Turks were well aware and well prepared. Despite amazing heroics on the day of the landings only minor beachheads were achieved and over the succeeding 8 months little progress was made. Eventually the beachheads were evacuated in a series of successful ruses.
Despite Gallipoli rightly becoming a national source of pride to Australians and New Zealanders, far more British casualties were sustained, and these days the substantial French contribution is almost forgotten.
Detail :
CH/4822(RFR/A/651) Colour Sergeant Herbert Frank Clark, Royal Marines Light Infantry.
He was enlisted 24th January, 1889 and completed a full service of 21 years before being discharged 11th July, 1913. Enrolled RFR 6/9/13 ; Deal Bn. (Listed as Chatham Bn. in the 1914 Star Roll) at Dunkirk & Defence of Antwerp 1914 (12th Bn.) Deal Bn. 'A' Company, 1st Platoon, (CH/2628 Sergeant W.J. Shaw's Diary).
Recorded in CH/2628 Sergeant W.J. Shaw's Diary, that Clark was shot through the head & killed in the same place in the trenches as Lieutenant Moxham was earlier that day. His death was reported in the Aberdeen Press & Journal on the 26th May, 1915 and is commemorated on the Helles Memorial at Gallipoli.
A 1914 Star was issued to his widow 1st August, 1919. He had previously received a Royal Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal 7th July, 1907.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Prince Alfred No. 233 E.C. | Bermuda |
| Joined : | Lord Charles Beresford No. 2404 E.C. | East Kent |
| Joined : | Per Mare per Terram No. 3609 E.C. | East Kent |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
26th October 1904 | 16th November 1904 | 31st December 1904 |
Senior Deacon
Initiated 1904 into Prince Alfred Lodge No. 233 at Somerset, Bermuda listed as a Sergeant RMLI but resigned in 1905, probably upon posting. Joined Lord Beresford Lodge No. 2404 on 24th October 1905. Further became a petitioning and founder member of the Per Mar Per Terram Lodge No. 3609 as its first Junior Warden. As a Royal Marine, it would have been a great source of pride to be associated with this Lodge.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley