Frank Henry Clark

In a letter published on 28th May 1915, in the Mansfield Reporter and Sutton Times Pte. Frank Clark, 1/8th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, recounted how they had to place wet handkerchiefs over their faces when first exposed to gas. “CAPTAIN MARTYN'S PRESCRIPTION. “GOOD ADVT. FOR WORKSOP ALE. “Writing from St. John's Hospital, Penarth, Private F. Clarke, of the Sherwood Foresters, says: – “We do not get any time for concerts when we are out of the trenches. I can assure you we get plenty of concerts when in the trenches, what with shells, hand grenades, and trench mortars, to say nothing about the explosive bullets. But whenever we see Will Ellis he has a joke for its. I am pleased to say the 8th are keeping up the reputation they have held for so many years. They have been praised for their splendid work in the trenches by General Smith-Dorien, and General Stuart Wortley. Expect you will have seen them mentioned in Sir John French's dispatches. It is a very important position we are holding to the right of Ypres. The distance between the trenches differs from 25 to 400 yards. I was in the 25yds. when I got wounded by a shrapnel bullet through the muscles of the right thigh. It was a lucky shot, just missing the femur bone. We got 160 shells the day before I was wounded, but about thirty of them did not explode. The day I was wounded we received about 200. Of course, the Germans had to withdraw their men from the 25 yards' spot while they shelled us. We was [sic] very unfortunate in losing our skipper, Capt. Allen, who had to go into hospital through illness. After that we got Capt. Hodgkinson, but he was not long before he had to leave us with a bullet wound in the head. When I got wounded, Captain Martyn was in the trench with us. He came to have a chat with me. After I was dressed he said a pint of Worksop ale would soon put me right. It is quite pleasing to see the friendliness between officers and men in the trenches. Major Clark, of Mansfield, was in the best of health last time saw him, and he makes a very good major too: he knows his duties and can handle a battalion, and Major Fowler also looked well. Look sharp and get plenty of recruits, for we shall need them out here. I think this will be the final effort of the Germans to break through at Ypres. We got a slight touch of the gas, and had to wet our handkerchiefs and put over our faces. We first noticed it with all eyes running. I hope the war will soon be over so that we can have some more happy times at camp.” Pte. F.H.Clarke Worksop Guardian 14 July 1916 Still another hero from Worksop who fell in the great advance is Pte. F.H. Clark of 20, Garside Street, Worksop. He was one of the Territorial’s who were called to the Front in the early stages of the war, and it may be remembered was wounded in April last year . Before enlisting he was employed at Messrs. Smith Bros., Albion Mills, and was well known in Worksop. The intimation of his death was received yesterday morning in a letter from a Lieut, and no official notification has been conveyed. “I am very sorry indeed,” the letter told his parents “to have to inform you that your son was killed during the morning of July 1st. All the officers in his Battery were killed or wounded on that day, so I took the liberty of writing to you. I did not know your son personally, but all the men in his section tell me how much he was liked by everyone, and he always did his duty. I cannot suggest at present where he is buried, but I will let you know as soon as possible, Yours Sincerely J.E. Kemstall, Lieut”. There is a great hope that Pte. Clark has not been killed, as official information of his death is not to hand, but the Lieut’s, letter seems to point directly to the fact. The sympathy of everyone will be extended to his relatives during their time of anxiety. Pte Frank Clark Worksop Guardian 25 August 1916 Official news has now been received of the death, killed in action of Pte Frank Clark, son of Mr Frank Clark of 20 Garside Street, Worksop, which we referred to several weeks ago. He was one of the Territorials who went out to the front in the early stages of the war, and was wounded in April 1915. Previous to the war he was an employee of Messrs Smith Bros., Ltd. Albion Mills. The intimation of his death was received on July 13th, his Lieutenant writing to say he was killed on the morning of July 1st, but it was hoped that the news was not true. However, all hopes have been destroyed by the official announcement from the War Office received this week. He would have been 22 years old on the day after he was killed.

Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Research by Colin Dannatt, additional information by Peter Gillings