Name
Ernest Clark
Circa 1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/11/1916
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
23393
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ANCRE BRITISH CEMETERY, BEAUMONT-HAMEL
IV. E. 46.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Not on the Stevenage Old Town memorials
Pre War
Ernest was born around 1892 in Hitchin and his parents were John Alfred and Julia Clark (née Gaylor) who married on 22 September 1894..
In 1901 the family were living at 5 Taylor’s Hill, Hitchin. Present were both parents: John (33) and Julia (33), with John and working as an auctioneer’s labourer. Their children were: Ermest (9), Elsie (6) and Jessie (3). John’s 75 year old mother was also present.
They were still living at 5 Taylor’s Hill, Hitchin in 1911. All those listed above were present except John’s mother. John was working as a labourer and porter at an auctioneers and Ernest at 19, was a bootmakers porter at a boot shop. The census recorded that John and Julia had been married for 19 years with 5 children all living.
His pension records show that Ernest had had married Violet Annie (b 29/11/1887), probably about 1911, but so far document records are proving elusive. They did have two children: Frank (b 15/3/1912) and Ernest Henry (b 9/12/1914) and they lived at . 7, Parcell's Yard, Bucklersbury, Hitchin (behind the Red Lion Hotel).
It is believed that she died towards the end of 1918.
Officially Ernest was recorded as born Stevenage, living in Hitchin, when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in November 1915 and was sent to France in July 1916. He was given the Regimental Number 23393 and posted to the 4th Battalion which was in the 190th Brigade of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division.
On the day of his death, the Battalion was in the rear of an assault towards Beaucourt. The battle started at 6.00am and went on all day in the fog and the Battalion came under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire.
He is buried in Plot 4, Row E, Grave 46 in the Ancre British Cemetery in France.
Additional Information
His pension cards record Violet Annie Clark his widow as his next of kin/dependant, living at 5 Parcells Yard, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 22s 11d a week from 2 July 1917. Two children are listed: Frank and Ernest Henry.
However, the card was amended to Julia Clark of Taylors Hill, Hitchin, as guardian of child named Ernest Herbert Clark. As it is believed that his widow died in 1918, it seems his mother became the guardian of their children.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
