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Private William Clarke

 

William Clarke was born on 31 August 1900 at Ballinacaird, Ballymena, County Antrim, the last of eleven children of butcher (later labourer) James Clarke and his wife Agnes (née McComb). By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Ballinacaird with his parents and three of his six surviving siblings.

Clarke enlisted in the North Irish Horse between 7 and 21 February 1918 (regimental number not known at present). He trained at the regimental reserve camp at Antrim until discharged in 1919.

By 1920 he was living at Creevamoy and working as a labourer. On 22 September that year he married Jeannie Cahoon in the West Presbyterian Church, Ballymena. He died in Ballymena on 22 January 1987.

 

Clarke's brother Henry also served in the war, in the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (No.21929). He died of wounds on 26 March 1918 and was buried in the St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.

 

William Clarke's brother Henry and sister Minnie Jane

 

Image sourced from Ancestry.com Public Member Trees – contributor 'kfoisy65'.