Private James Francis Clark
- Rank
- Private
- Appointment
- Sapper
- Service number
- NX55941
- Unit
- 2/12 Field Company Royal Australian Engineers
- Cause of death
- Died as Prisoner of War
- Place of death
- Songkurai, Thailand
- Date of death
- 20 June 1943
- Age
- 33
- Plaque number
- L32
- Dedicated by
- Family on 28 October 2023
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
James Francis Clark was born in November 1909 in Perth, to parents James and Johanna Veronica Clark (nee Dillon). It was in 1907 that James’s parents married in Kalgoorlie. James was one of four siblings, with two brothers and a sister.
James spent his early years in the goldfields of Kalgoorlie as his father held a senior position at the Great Boulder Mine. James and his two brothers commenced employment in mining and also prospecting in the Goldfields. His family later moved back to North Perth. It is unknown when and why James travelled to New South Wales but his occupation is recorded as a miner and his address listed as George Street, Sydney.
James enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force in July 1940 at Martin Place, Sydney. His training was conducted in New South Wales where he was attached to the Royal Australian Engineers, 2/12 Field Company.
James embarked from Sydney in July 1941 for overseas service, disembarking in Singapore in August. His records indicated he served in Malaya but returned to Singapore when Japan entered the war and commenced its advance through Malaya capturing Singapore, and where British Forces surrendered on 15 February 1942.
James was captured and, with many other Australian’s, became prisoners held in Changi prison in Singapore. James was recorded as a Prisoner of War in November 1943.
In 1943, James left Singapore as a part of ‘F’ Force and was transported to Thailand by rail to work on the Thai – Burma Railway where he was subject to severe conditions at the hands of the Japanese guards. He was eventually transferred to a remote prisoner of war camp along the railway to Songkurai Camp 2 where the harsh conditions continued. It was in this camp that James became ill and died of malaria on 20 June 1943.
Sapper James Francis Clark, service number NX55941 of 2/12 Field Company Royal Australian Engineers, died while a prisoner of war in Thailand on 20 June 1943, aged 33 years.
He is buried in the Thanbyuzayat War Cemetery, Myanmar (Burma) and is remembered with honour.