Name
Oliver Perkins Clark
1867
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
02/09/1918
49
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3775/A
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
25th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PERONNE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
IV. E. 19.
France
Headstone Inscription
I MOURN NOT BUT TREASURE MEMORIES AND HOPE TO MEET THEE BYE & BYE
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Aldenham memorials.
Pre War
Oliver Perkins Clark was born in 1867, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, son of John and Jane Ann (nee Jessup) Clark, one of seven children.
1871 Census records Oliver aged 5, living with his parents, and four siblings at, Estcourt Road, Watford, Herts.
His mother Jane died in 1880. The 1881 Census records Oliver aged 13, at school, living with his widower father, and five siblings at, Delrow Cottages, Aldenham, Herts.
We believe Oliver joined the army and served in the South Africa Campaign, as Trooper 198 Oliver Clark, with the Pietersburg Light Horse. He completed his military service and returned to civilian life.
He married Elizabeth Margaret Pratt, on 30 September 1911, in Sedgefield, Durham. It is believed they went on to have two children.
Oliver and Elizabeth emigrated to Australia (date not known) living at Coboolturne, North Coast Line, Queensland.
Wartime Service
Oliver enlisted at Brisbane, Queensland, on 8 May 1917, in the Australian Imperial Force with the service number 3775/A. Embarking at Sydney, aboard HMAT A28 “Miltiades” on 2 August 1917, arriving at Glasgow on 2 October 1917.
On completion of training Oliver and his Battalion proceeded to France Via Southampton in January 1918.
He was Killed in Action on 2 September 1918, his body was initially buried in a shell hole 11/2 Miles, North of Peronne, later exhumed and reburied in Peronne Communal Cemetery Extension, Peronne, France. Grave Ref; IV. E. 19.
After his death Elizabeth and the children returned to the UK, and lived at Middleton-St-George, Durham.
Additional Information
His widow, Mrs. E. M. Clark. "Oakrood", Middleton-St-George, Durham, ordered his headstone inscription: "I MOURN NOT BUT TREASURE MEMORIES AND HOPE TO MEET THEE BYE & BYE". The CWGC record his parents as Ralph Spencley Pratt and Margaret Pratt, we believe this is incorrect, it is possible they are his wife Elizabeth’s parents, but we have been unable to positively confirm this.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
