Name
Frederick Edward Clarke
17 Jun 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
6368
East Surrey Regiment
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TRING CEMETERY
A. 193.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring
Pre War
Frederick Edward Clarke was born on 17 Jun 1895 to Frederick Henry Clarke, a carman, and Anna Harriet (nee Thurgill).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Herbert (born 1892. Frederick, and Ethel (born 1897) were living at 41 Cedars Stretford, London.
On the 1911 Census the family of parents, and Frederick were living at 6, Arundell Road, Stratford, Essex.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Frederick. He enlisted in the East Surrey Regiment as a Territorial Soldier, Private 6368 (he became 202917 during the renumbering of the Territorial Force in 1917.) He may have gone to France in 1916 as a replacement in 1st Battalion. As part of 5th Division they took part in the Battles of Passchendaele (3rd Ypres) at Polygon Wood (26 Sep – 3 Oct), Broodseinde (4 Oct). Frederick was wounded on 4 Oct 1917 and evacuated to the UK for treatment , he contracted septic pneumonia. Probably, depending on Medical reports that he was unlikely to be fit for War duties, he was transferred to the Labour Corps as Private 668133. Further bout of pneumonia resulted in his death on 9 Nov 1918 at Horton War Hospital, Epsom.
From the Bucks Herald, 16th Nov 1918: 'Pte. Frederick Edward Clarke, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Clarke, Ashburnham Villas, was in the 5th Battalion East Surry Regiment, and was wounded in France in October of last year. Since then he has been in England suffering from septic pneumonia after operation. He recovered from this, but a subsequent attack proved fatal, and he died in Horton Military Hospital on Nov. 7. Pte. Clarke was 20 years of age. His remains were interred at Tring Cemetery on Wednesday afternoon, the last rites being performed by the Rev. S. E. Garrard'.
Was 6368 East Surrey Regiment, transferred to 668133 Eastern Counties Labour Corps.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £10 and arrears of £17 9s 10d was paid to his mother. Frederick's grave (not CWGC) bears the inscription:
FREDERICK EDWARD CLARKE OF THE EAST SURREY REG WOUNDED IN FRANCE OCT. 4TH 1917.
DIED AND NOV. 7TH 1918. AGED 20 YEARS.
ONLY A STEP REMOVED AND THAT STEP UNTO BLISS. OUR OWN, OUR DEARLY LOVED. WHOM HERE ON EARTH WE MISS.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
