Joseph Clarke

A Rifleman with 16th Battalion, Joseph died on 21st of March 1918 at the age of 25.

Joseph was born at Wingrave, Aylesbury, in 1893, a son of George and Sarah Clarke. In 1901 his family lived at 8 Winslow Road, Wingrave. By 1911 his family were living at 1 Winslow Road and Joseph worked as a bricklayer's labourer. Later his parents lived at 67 Ravenstone Road, Hendon, London.

Joseph married Violet Nettie Saggers at Lowestoft in 1917. Violet lived at 4 Freemantle Road, Lowestoft. Violet remarried in 1920. 

Joseph enlisted in the Army at London and he served initially with the Army Service Corps, number SS/6121. Later he was transferred to the Rifle Brigade and served with the 16th Battalion.

On 11 March 1918 the 16th Battalion relieved the 17th Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps at Heudicourt. Between 11 and 20 March they were employed diffing trenches, between Revelon and Pozieres (Peziere) and placing barbed wire entanglements in front of them. 

From 4.30 a.m. on 21 March the battalion’s positions were subjected to a violent bombardment, with high explosive, shrapnel and gas shells. During the night they moved to trenches east of Saulcourt and were again heavily shelled. On 22 March they were ordered to hold position and cover the retirement of the division that was in front of them. At 3 p.m. it was certain that they were practically surrounded and at 4.30 p.m. they were subject to another heavy bombardment that inflicted many casualties. At 5 p.m. the enemy attacked form the north, south and east, and the battalion were allowed to retire to north-west of Tincourt Wood. By now they mustered just 54 men, but some of the men were ‘stragglers’ and disconnected from the core of the battalion. For the next eight days the battalion were constantly engaged in fighting rearguard actions. 

Between 21 and 30 March the battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: two killed, one died of wounds, seven missing, 14 wounded
Other ranks: 12 killed, 141 wounded, 293 missing

Joseph was among those reported missing, and his death was accepted to have taken place at some point between 21 March and 30 March 1918.