Owen James CLARKE

Regimental number4978
Place of birthMelbourne, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationHairdresser
Address183 Park Street, South Melbourne, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation18
Height5' 5.5"
Weight119 lbs
Next of kinSister, Miss E Clarke, 183 Park Street, South Melbourne, Victoria
Previous military serviceServed in the Senior Cadets, 45th Bn (3 years); 45th Australian Infantry, Citizen Military Forces (1 month; still serving at time of AIF enlistment)
Enlistment date4 August 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll11 August 1915
Place of enlistmentMelbourne, Victoria
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name5th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/22/3
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 7 March 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll59th Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularEnlisted 11 August 1915 - 5th Bn, 15th Reinforcement; taken on strength, 59th Bn, 20 April 1916.
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingBattle of Fromelles, France
Age at death19
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 16), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial		167
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records		Town. Leongatha, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Taken on strength of 59th Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 20 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 19 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Note on B.103, 'presume buried in No Man's Land approx at 5J9043 to 5K0251 Sheet Hazebrouck 5a'.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesRed Cross file 741101