Just Another Pair Of Socks

Melton District ANZACS

Charles Norton CLARK

Personal

Born: 1888

Birthplace: Dandenong

Parents: John George Clark; Rose Jane Clark
Brother of :
Inspector John George Clark, of Dandenong Shire,
Fred Clark, Melton,
Arthur Edward Clark, killed in action, France
Mrs Rosa Jane Blackbourn, Heidelberg.

Died: 1964

Place of death: Heidelberg, Victoria

Awards and Honours

  • 1914-1915 Star
  • British War Medal 1914-20
  • Victory Medal

Battalions

8th Light Horse Regiment,2nd Reinforcement; 12th Field Artillery Brigade; 11th Field Artillery Brigade

Events

Enlistment

Regimental Service Number: 607 / 688

Enlistment date: 28 September, 1914 Meeniyan

Age at enlistment: 26 years 4 months

Address at enlistment: Hawdon St., Heidelberg

Religion: Church of England

Marital Status: Single

Next of kin: Mrs George Blackbourn, Hawdon St., Heidelberg

Physical Description: Height: 5 feet 4 inches
Weight: 10 stones 7 pounds
Complexion: Dark
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brownish
Distinctive marks: Scars right little toe, right instep

Embarkation ship: HMAT A26 Armadale.

Rank: Private; Gunner; Driver

Return Date: 23 November, 1919

Return Vessel: Port Napier.

Arrival at Australia: 10 February, 1920.

Discharge Date: 11 April, 1920

War Service Summary

31/07/1915    Regiment sent to Gallipoli
12/08/1915    Alexandria with influenza. It appears he did not return to Gallipoli
06/03/1916    Transferred to 3rd Reserve Light Horse Regiment
02/04/1916   Taken on Strength to 11th Field Artillery Brigade and mustered. Gunner
18/05/1916    11th Field Artillery Brigade
10/06/1916    Disembarks Marseilles France
01/08/1916    Appointed Driver 11th Field Artillery Brigade. Clark was the former batman and groom to 10/02/1920    Returned to Australia per Port Napier ex England with wife and child
11/04/1920    Discharged

War Service Commemerated

Life After the War

Names of wife & children:
24/10/1918    Married at the United Free Church of Scotland, Registration entry # 77, Letitia Moreland, (Letitia Bradley in electoral rolls) from 97 Barloch St., Glasgow Aged 20; a restaurant waitress

Children:
Charles Norton Carpenter Junior
1943 electoral roll a bootmaker
Alexander George
1949 electoral roll a drum maker

Place/s of residence:
1914 electoral roll: Lonsdale St., Dandenong labourer
1914 electoral roll: Meeniyan traveller
28/05/1921 Heidelberg (P 22 Serv. Rec.)
1924, 1931, 1936, 1937, 1943, 1949, 1954, 1963 electoral roll: 46 Dresden St., Heidelberg labourer; Letitia - Home duties

Occupations:
1914 -traveller
1914 1963 - labourer

Date of death:
1964 Reg # 20590

Other relevant information:
2 photos available from War Memorial - 1 alone in 1917; 1 with his wife.
A group portrait of the Headquarters and Signal Sections of the 11th Brigade of Australian Field Artillery, in the rest area at Epagne on 14 June 1918. AWM E02510 includes Clarke 688

During WW2
Charles enlisted in 1942.
His son Charles Norton Clark Jnr enlisted in 1941.

Additional Information

Frederick Weston Clark, his brother, is licensee of the Golden Fleece Hotel; Arthur Edward Clark, killed in action, is another brother

Re Brother, Arthur Edward Clark:

The Australasian
Saturday 9 March 1918, P 57

CLARK.Killed in action 10th February, 1918, Pte. Arthur Edward Clark, 748, third son late George and Rosa Clark, late of Dandenong, loving brother of George (Dandenong), Frederick (Melton), Charles (on active service), and Mrs George Blackburn, Heidelberg, aged 34 years.

Sources

Service Record
Nominal Roll
Newspaper accounts

Maygars Boys
Cameron Simpson, A Biographical History of the 8th Light Horse Regiment AIF 1914 19, published 1998 has details for Clark WW1 & WW2. Also image of 2nd Reinforcements, 8th LHR at Broadmeadows Camp
Birth Registration 1888