Private Joseph George Clarke
- Rank
- Private
- Service number
- 3039
- Unit
- 51 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Killed in Action
- Place of death
- Mouquet Farm, France
- Date of death
- 3 September 1916
- Age
- 25
- Plaque number
- M486A
- Co-located plaques
- M486 - PTE Reginald Clarke
- Dedicated by
- Family on 19 May 2012
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Private Joseph George Clarke of 51 Battalion was born at Moss Vale in New South Wales in 1891. He was the middle son of Joseph Clarke and Alice McIntyre. His siblings were Reginald Charles, Ivy Alice, Edward and Sylvia Caroline.
The family moved to Western Australia and settled in Geraldton, where Alice operated Clarke’s Coffee Palace and boarding house in Marine Terrace. His father Joseph worked as a carpenter.
Joseph, who was mostly known as George, attended primary school in Geraldton and later completed his education at Fremantle Boys’ School.
After he left school, he took up hairdressing and operated his business from a tobacconist shop in Marine Terrace.
He enlisted in Geraldton in July 1915 and went to Blackboy Hill Military Camp for training and was posted to 10 Reinforcements of 11 Battalion.
George embarked on HMAT Themistocles at Fremantle in September, bound for Egypt. They continued their training at Tel el Kebir during January 1916 and he was transferred to 51 Battalion in February.
In June, he sailed from Alexandria arriving in Marseilles later in the month. They then proceeded to the front line.
Private Joseph George Clarke, service number 3039 of 51 Battalion, was killed in action at Mouquet Farm on 3 September 1916. He was 25 years of age.
His plaque his placed alongside that of his older brother Private Reginald Clarke of 11 Battalion, who was killed in action at Gallipoli in May 1915.
George is also related through marriage to Private Henry Clarke of 28 Battalion and Private Edwin Powell of 51 Battalion.