Profile

CLARKE, Ernest
(Service number 36417)

Aliases
First Rank	Rifleman	Last Rank	Private

Birth

Date	02/06/1895	Place of Birth	Timaru

Enlistment Information

Date	20 September 1916	Age	21 yrs 3 mths
Address at Enlistment	116 Church St, Timaru
Occupation	Plumber
Previous Military Experience	A.S.C. No. 7
Marital Status
Next of Kin	Mrs A. M. E. CLARKE (mother), 116 Church Street, Timaru
Religion	Non Conformist. Methodist (WWII)
Medical Information	Height 5 feet 10 inches. Weight 139 lbs. Chest 31-36 inches. Complexion dark. Eyes brown. Hair dark brown. Both eyes 6/6. Hearing good. Colour vision correct. Limbs and chest well formed. Full movement of joints. Heart and lungs normal. No illnesses. Free from hernia, varicocele, varicose veins, haemorrhoids, inveterate or contagious skin disease. Good bodily and mental health. No slight defects. No fits.

Military Service

Served with	NZ Armed Forces	Served in	Army
Military District

Embarkation Information

Body on Embarkation	New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Unit, Squadron, or Ship	Reinforcements G Company
Date	19 January 1917
Transport	Waitemata
Embarked From	Wellington	Destination	Plymouth, England

Other Units Served With
Last Unit Served With

Military Awards

Campaigns
Service Medals	British War Medal; Victory Medal. WWII - War Medal 1939-45; New Zealand War Service Medal.
Military Awards

Award Circumstances and Date

No information

Prisoner of War Information

Date of Capture
Where Captured and by Whom
Actions Prior to Capture
PoW Serial Number
PoW Camps
Days Interned
Liberation Date

Discharge

Date	12 June 1919	Reason	Termination of period of engagement

Hospitals, Wounds, Diseases and Illnesses

16 October 1917 he became ill & was admitted to hospital at Birmingham on 30 October, then evacuated to the New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst in the United Kingdom on 6 November. On 30 September 1918 he returned to France & rejoined his unit in the field.

Post-war Occupations

Plumber

Death

Date	18 May 1963	Age	67 yrs
Place of Death	Timaru
Cause
Notices
Memorial or Cemetery	Timaru Cemetery
Memorial Reference	Services Section; Row 121; Plot 8
New Zealand Memorials

Biographical Notes

Son of James CLARKE & Amelia Martha Elizabeth (Millie) nee ANDERSON. He was educated at the Timaru Main School, Also served in WWII as Sergeant, 1941-1948. He was discharged on 18 May 1948. On 21 April 1924 he married Mary FAHEY; they had 2 sons & 1 daughter. Brother of Stanley CLARKE who also served in WWI. Ernest returned to New Zealand on 12 June 1919 per 'Arawa'. Prior to discharge from WWI service (on 12 June 1919, after total service of 2 years 117 days), he required reading spectacles. In June 1963 a letter was sent to Ernest's son (Mr A. E. CLARKE, 7 Hanan Place, Timaru) with his WWII medals, as had been requested by the South Canterbury Returned Services Association. In 1946 Ernest applied to enlist in the NZ Regular Force., to carry out work as CaretakerSub Area Timaru (Area 10). In 1947 he was suffering from an ulcerated stomach for which he underwent treatment at the Public Hospital. Ernest and Mary lived all their married life at 13 High Street, Timaru.

Sources

Cenotaph Database [13 October 2013]; NZ Defence Force Records (Archives NZ ref. AABK 18805 W5922 0357356) [30 March 2014]; TDC headstone image, Timaru Cemetery [13 October 2013]; Family history (Google search) [13 October 2013]; Timaru Herald, 29 November 1917 (Papers Past) [15 October 2013]

External Links

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