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John Henry Clarke (1895-1936)


From Sacriston, served with 13th Battalion DLI


On 24 September 1915, a letter was published in the Chester le Street Chronicle written by a Durham Light Infantry soldier from Sacriston of his first experiences in the trenches and of life behind the front line in France.

Whilst it is not certain, it is very likely that the author of this letter was 16066 Private John Henry Clark(e). He enlisted in 1914 and went with 13 DLI to France in August 1915. On 8 August 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, Private Clarke was wounded.

“PITMAN GHURKAS. Private J. H. Clarke, 13th DLI, writing from France, says- I may tell you we had a rough time of it this week. We went into the trenches last Thursday, which was our first night in the firing line. We were in twenty-four hours, and then out twenty-four. When we came out on Sunday night we should have been coming out of Church instead of the trenches. We went in again on Tuesday night , and that was the worst night we had going in. Toe pigs of Germans put the machine-guns on us going down the road, but I am pleased to say none of us got hit. They call the Durhams here the Pitman Ghurkas, but the Germans call us the Donkey Drivers. Just wait until we get a fair go at them. If we ever get them on the run they will never stop again until they get to Berlin.The last day we were in the trenches they sent four shells across, just were we were standing, I thought it was a hearty welcome to us. They did not do any damage. One artillery had been giving them some trouble lately I should not like to be at their side for five minutes when it is firing. I have just had a card from my cousin Mark Turner Saying he had arrived in France. I think France is the dearest place I have ever been. They charge 4d, for a piece of chocolate which can be bought in England for 2d. A penny packet of cigarettes cost 2 1/2 d, here. I am pleaded to say I don’t smoke. They brought a spy in here last night. I think the Durhams are making a good start, only been in the fighting area a week and got a spy already. I mean the 13th Durham of course. We were very sorry to hear about Mrs. Brass, I think it was a hard blow for her when she got the news about poor Jim. We had learnt a little French already, and can go and ask for bread in French when we want to. Pte. Reed joins me in wishing good luck to all at Sacriston.”

Additional from a member of the family:

16066 Private John Henry Clark was my great-grandfather. He served throughout the war with C Company, 13 DLI; on the Western Front, in Italy in 1917 and then again in France in 1918. He left the army in 1919, married and had five daughters and returned to coal mining. On 26 August 1936 he was killed by a fall of stone whilst working at Witton Colliery. One legacy of his time in the army was a keen interest in boxing, and the Private Reed he mentions was his best friend, Joe Reed, who remained close to family after Clark’s death. The attached photograph shows Private Clark in uniform and was taken in 1915 before the battalion embarked for France.

Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail – Wednesday 26 August 1936

Killed in the pit
Sacriston Father of Six Children

John Henry Clark (43), coal filler, of Elliott Street, Sacriston, was killed by a fall of stone while working in the Low Main Seam of the Charlaw and Sacriston Collieries Company’s Whitton Pit, today. He leaves a widow and six children, the eldest of whom is 15 and the youngest only a few months old.

A remarkable feature of the tragedy is that Clark had only returned to work nine days ago after having been incapacitated for a month as a result of injuries received while working near the place where he was killed today.

Clark was working alone at the time of the fall, and when Robert Littleton, of Staffordshire Street, Sacriston, who was close at hand, ran with others to his assistance, they found him almost completely covered by the debris. On being extricated he was dead.

In accordance with custom the colliery was laid idle for the remainder of the day.

Civil Parish: Witton Gilbert

Birth date: 1895

Death date: 26-Aug-1936

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 141 Staffordshire Street, A, Sacriston (1901 census)
8 Pieman Street, Wheatley Hill (1911 census)

Family: Parents: John Clark, Jane Clark
Siblings: William Davison Clark, Ann Clark, Martha Clark, David Turner Clark, Charles Clark, George Clark (died in infancy), James Clark (died in infancy) (1911 census)
Wife: Sarah E Robson (married 1920)

Military service:

16066 Private, 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry.

Medal(s): 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.

Gender: Male

Contributed by Sacriston Heritage Group | Durham County Record Office. Jack Mulligan and Lewis Cooper | Paul B

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