John Terence Clarke

CLARKE, John Terence- – – – SPC 1907-1910

DoB:- – c1892, Monea, VIC

Father:– – John Clarke

Mother:– – Sarah

Terence, as he was known at St Patrick’s was a boarder at the College. In 1909 he was Captain of the Junior Football Team. After leaving SPC he was reported in the Annual of 1911 as being at the Railway Survey Camp, Berringama.

Service No:- 4017

Rank:– – Private

Unit:- – 29th Battalion

Terence Clarke enlisted on 14 August 1916 aged 24 and a half years. His father had died by the time of his enlistment, so he nominated his mother, Sarah who lived at 46 Storey Street, Parkville, an inner-city suburb of Melbourne, as his next of kin. Terence was a Commonwealth public servant, five feet eight inches tall, with a medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.

He embarked from Melbourne on 21 October 1916 aboard the Port Melbourne, disembarking at Devonport, England on 28 December. In April 1917 he proceeded to France. He was made Corporal on 3 October 1917.

On 16 December 1917 he was severely wounded by a shell explosion, and as a result was evacuated to a Field Hospital at Boulogne, France. The damage was so severe that by 24 March 1918 the decision was made to amputate both his legs. This procedure was undertaken after he was shipped to England.

Corporal Clarke remained in England recuperating. He was scheduled to return to Australia in early April 1919 aboard the Marathon, but he did not embark. Instead he was discovered to be AWL (Absent Without Leave) from 11pm on 8 April, to midnight on 2 May 1919. He was admonished by Colonel A C Taylor, and had to forfeit 21 days’ pay.

On 6 May 1919 he did embark from Southampton aboard the Karoola, for his return to Australia. He was discharged from the AIF on 30 May 1921, and lived at 110 Rose Street Fitzroy.

John Terence Clarke died on 24 August 1946 at 57 years of age. The College found no record of him having married. He was buried at the Melbourne General Cemetery, North Carlton, Victoria.

After his death, the Trustees looking after Terence’s estate wrote to the Officer in Charge, Base Records, Australian Army, returning his service badges which were -‘found among the deceased’s effects’. There must have been no-one in his family to inherit them.