The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Lieutenant Colonel C D Clark

Photographs by "Jim from London"

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Douglas CLARK, 5th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died at sea, off Plymouth, of illness contracted on Active Service, 22nd January 1920, age 37.

22nd June 1882, born, son of Charles Douglas & Emily Mary Clark.

17th September 1882, baptism of Charles Douglas Clark, son of Charles Douglas & Emily Mary Clark.

29th January 1916, initiated into Freemason, Lodge Gwalior, Central India. Resided Rawal Pindi, Major.

Buried at St Mary the Virgin Churchyard, North of path, East of church, Hayes, Bromley, Kent. Commemorated at Beckenham War Memorial / London Stock Exchange War Memorial / Bromley War Memorial.

NOTE: Not shown in Regimental History or in Officers Died in the Great War; but included on CWGC web site.

London Gazette 23rd August 1918

Royal West Kent Regiment - Major C. D. Clark to be acting Lieutenant - Colonel whilst commanding a Battalion. 2nd May 1918

London Gazette 28th November 1918.

5th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment - Major (acting Lieutenant Colonel) C. D. Clark relinquishes acting rank of Lieutenant Colonel on ceasing to command a Battalion. 19th September 1918.

London Gazette 2nd April 1919.

5th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment - Major C. D. Clark to be acting Lieutenant - Colonel whilst commanding a Battalion. 10th January 1919.

London Gazette 5th June 1919.

The Secretary of State for War has received the following despatch addressed to the Chief of the General Staff, India by Lieutenant General Sir W R Marshall, KCB., KCSI., Commanding in Chief, Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force.

Sir, With reference to paragraph 39 of my despatch dated 1st February 1919, I have the honour to submit herewith a list of names of those officers, ladies, warrant officers and non commissioned officers, and men serving, or who have served, under my command, whose distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty I consider deserving special mention.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, W R MARSHALL, Lieutenant General Commanding in Chief, Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force.

Royal West Kent Regiment - Clark, Major C D., 1/5th Battalion, (Territorial Force).

London Gazette 15th July 1919.

The King has been graciously pleased to confer the Territorial Decoration upon the under mentioned Officers of the Territorial Force who have been duly recommended for the same under the terms of the Royal Warrant dated 17th August 1918, as modified by the Royal Warrant dated 11th November 1918:

Officers of the Territorial Force who are eligible for the Territorial Decoration:

5th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment - Major (Acting Lieutenant Colonel) Charles D Clark.

Extract from From Tonbridge School and the Great War of 1914 - 1918:

Lieut.-Col. C.D. Clark, T.D., late of Achray, Scots Avenue, Shortlands, was the elder son of the late Mr. Charles Douglas Clark, of Eccleshill, Bromley, and the Stock Exchange, and was himself a partner in the firm of C. Douglas Clark & Sons, of the Stock Exchange. He married on July 19th, 1906, Maude Ethel, daughter of the late Mr J.E. Shaw, of Silvermead, Bromley, and his widow was left with two sons, aged respectively twelve and ten.

Entering the School in May, 1897, from the Abbey School, Beckenham, he was in the Corps, then a Cadet Corps joined by considerably less than one-third of the School, and was in the Shooting VIII. of 1898. He left from Modern B. at Easter, 1899, and having taken a commission in 1900 in the 2nd Volunteer Battn. of the Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, before the Territorial Force came into being, he had proved himself throughout a most energetic and able officer. He also took the greatest interest in the sport of his men and was himself a keen member of the Football team. He had been promoted Major, August 9th, 1912, and sailed for India on December 1st, 1914, as second in command of the 1/5th Battn. The Battalion went to Jhansi and served in India for nearly three years. Then on December 11th, 1917, they left for Mesopotamia, where they served for two years in the 54th Infantry Brigade in the 18th Division. He was in command of the Battalion with the Acting Rank of Lieut.-Col. from May 2nd to September 19th, 1918, and again from January 10th, 1919, till his death and was mentioned in Lieut.-General W.R. Marshall's Despatch dated February 7th, 1919.

His health had doubtless suffered as the result of hardships and illness in Mesopotamia, for whilst in that country he had an attack of influenza, followed almost immediately by sandfly fever. The brigade took part in the operations on the Tigris and the advance to Mosul and, though a big draft had left the Battalion in February 1919, its strength being made up by drafts of H.L.I., Royal West Kent’s and Welsh Pioneers, they remained with the Army of Occupation at Mosul until they received orders for home in November, 1919.

His younger brother, Lieut. Alfred Nowell William Clark, had resigned a commission in the 5th Battn. of the Royal West Kent’s in 1912, but was re-commissioned to the Battn. in January 1917, and going out to India was on the transport "Cameronia" when she was sunk by a submarine in the Mediterranean on April 5th, 1917. He went with the Battalion to Mesopotamia, but from January 3rd, 1918 to March 12th, 1919 was seconded as A.D.C. to the G.O.C. 18th Division, and then returned to England. He, too, like his brother was mentioned in the despatch dated February, 1919.

The Battalion left Mosul on November 27th, 1919, and after spending Christmas at Basra on their way to Bombay, embarked for home on the "Melita" on January 2nd, 1920. Severe influenza broke out before they reached Aden and various deaths occurred during the voyage, though some twenty cases were transferred at Port Said. It was only after leaving Gibraltar that Lieut.-Col. Clark became a victim, but his condition became very serious and he died shortly after the boat was brought to anchor of Plymouth on January 22nd, 1920.

This page was last updated on 13-Mar-2025.