Clarke W H 2nd Lt 3rd Worcestershire Regiment
SECOND LIEUTENANT W. H. CLARKE
3RD BATTALION THE WORCESTERSHIRE REGIMENT
WILLIAM HAMILTON CLARKE was the second son of Lieut.-Col. Sir Edward H. St. Lawrence Clarke, Bart., of Rossmore, Co. Cork, Ireland, whose elder son had also been killed in the War.
He entered the School in 1906. He was Head of the School House in 1911, in the XV from 1910 to the Spring term of 1912, when he was Captain, and in the XI in 1912. He was one of the Racquet Pair in 1911 and 1912, and helped to win the Public Schools’ Championship for Rugby in 1911. He entered Queen’s College, Oxford, in October, 1912, and on the declaration of War joined the 5th Special Reserve Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment and went out to join the 3rd Battalion at the end of December, 1914.
He was killed at Spanbroek Molen, near Kemmel, in Flanders, on March 12th, 1915. Two Companies were ordered to assault a section of German trenches and were exposed to very heavy front and flank fire. All the Officers of “A Company, to which he belonged, were killed. He reached the trench with about 40 men, but was killed as he arrived.
Age 22.
The assault was described by Col. Stuart, Commanding the Battalion, as magnificently carried out.
Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1
CLARKE, WILLIAM HAMILTON, 2nd Lieut., 5th, attd. 3rd Battn. The Worcestershire Regt., yr. s. of Lieut.-Col. Sir Edward Henry St. Lawrence Clarke, of Rossmore, co . Cork, 4th Bart., Commanding 12th (Service) Battn: The Worcestershire Regt., by his wife, Susan Douglas, dau. of Charles Langton, of Barkhill, Aigburth, Liverpool ; and brother to Lieut. John Edward Langton Clarke (q.v.) b. Henwick, near Worcester, 25 Dec. 1892 ; educ. Hamilton House, Bath ; Rugby, and Queen’s College, Oxford ; was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 5th Worcestershire Regt. 5 Aug. 1914 ; went to France at the end of Dec., when he was attached to the 3rd Battn., and was killed in action at Spanbrock Molen, near Kemmel, 12 March, 1915. Buried at Kemmel. While at Rugby he was head of the School House in 1911 and 1912 ; in the XV. from 1910 to the spring term of 1912, when he was captain ; in the XI. in 1912, being also one of the Racquet Pair in 1911 and 1912, and helping to win the Public Schools Championship for Rugby in 1911 ; unm.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 2