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George Thomas Clarke - Information

George was another son of Joseph Stewart and Annie Elizabeth Clarke of Picton. George was born in Burragorang c1891. He remained in Picton, where he worked as a labourer. In 1913, he married Pauline Maxwell. He then decided to enlist in the AIF with his younger brother, Clifford. They signed up on the 13th of June 1916 in Goulburn. Here, they began their recruitment training, placed with the 1st Squad Australian Light Horse at Menangle Park. Then on the 1st of November, they were made Privates with the 18th Reinforcements, 20th Battalion. Before George was shipped out, Pauline relocated to 24 Silver St in Marrickville. George and Clifford boarded the HMAT Suevic in Sydney setting off on the 11th of November 1916.

The Suevic sailed into Devonport Harbour at the end of January 1917. The troops were marched out to the 5th Training Battalion in Rollestone. In late April, George was transported to the Western Front, Clifford remained in England sick. George joined the 20th Battalion in the field on the 2nd of May. He was presently joined by Clifford, before the unit was shifted to Belgium for operations during the Third Battle of Ypres. Sadly, at Zonnebeke, George watched his brother get killed by artillery fire on the 4th of October. Two days later, George was then wounded in action when a rifle bullet struck his left wrist. He was rushed to the 7th General Hospital in Rouen. On the 13th, he was invalided to England to hospital in Cosham. George recovered from his wound however, was experiencing weakness in his hand. As a result, he was sent back to Australia, leaving London on the 10th of March 1918 for a medical discharge. George returned to Pauline and his family, where they mourned the loss of Clifford. Sadly, George then passed away on the 14th of April 1919.