Edwin J. Clack PLY/1945(S)
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Grateful thanks to Andrew Clack for the information relating to his Great Uncle.
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Edwin James Clack was born on 1st January 1898 in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. His parents were Caleb George Clack and Evelyn Rose Clack and at the time of the 1901 Census, Edwin was living with his parents in Bladon together with his elder sister Florence, elder brother George and younger sister Edith.
Edwin's father was an agricultural worker on one of the many farms surrounding Blenheim Palace. By the time of the 1911 Census, the family of six had grown to be nine with the addition of two further daughters (Rose & Winifred) together with a son named William. His elder sister Florence (17) was a "Leather Glove maker", a traditional industry in the area at that time.
Edwin answered his country's call and enlisted in May 1916 at the Oxford Recruiting Office when he was just over 18 years old. He was 5 feet 5 inches tall and was recorded as living at Manor Farm, Combe (noted as "Coombe" in his enlistment and attestation papers) and was a "Farm Carter". Combe is a village about 5 miles northeast of Witney and is partly bounded by the course of Akeman Street (a Roman road) and the boundary of Blenheim Palace Great Park.
Edwin was mobilised in February 1917 and sent to Royal Marines Depot in Deal, Kent. He embarked for France on 29th May 1917 arriving the same day in Boulogne. Shortly after, apparently while in Calais, he was deprived of 3 days pay for "Whilst on active service, not paying proper compliments to an Officer". Other than this blemish, his character was described as "Very Good" with his ability noted as "Average". On 30th June he was assigned to 2nd Royal Marine Light Infantry, 63rd Royal Naval Division.
By October Edwin was, along with his comrades from the 188th Brigade of the Division, moved up to the canal bank area of Ypres ready - in his case - to enter the front line for the first time. At 05:40 on the 26th, the Brigade's War Diary notes that they advanced "under very great difficulties, rain having fallen heavily in the night, shell holes being full of water and the mud made the ground almost impassable". While ground was gained including "Banff House" & "Bray Farm", the diary further notes that "Considerable casualties were caused during the day by snipers from the left".
It is not known how Edwin died, but his body was never identified and so he is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. No family members visited the Memorial until the late 1990's. In 2017 however, one of Edwin's great nephews & great, great nephews were privileged to attend the official ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele and sat within sight of his name on the Memorial.
RIP Edwin James Clack.
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Tyne Cot Memorial
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100th Commemoration of Battle of Passchedaele, July 2017
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