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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 286

Five: Private T. A. Clarke, Royal Marines Light Infantry

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (T. A. Clarke, Pte., H.M.S. Magpie), an official replacement issue; 1914-15 Star (PLY. 7495 Pte. T. A. Clarke, R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (PLY. 7495 Pte. T. A. Clarke, R.M.L.I.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (PLY. 7495 B. 948 T. A. Clarke, R.F.R.), edge bruising and a little polished, otherwise generally very fine (5)


One of 80 East & West Africa Medals issued to H.M.S. Magpie's crew for the Benin 1897 operations.

Thomas Arthur Clarke was born at Loughborough, Leicestershire on 19 December 1876 and enlisted in the Royal Marines Light Infantry in March 1895. Embarked as a Private in H.M.S. Magpie in the following year, he served in the Naval Brigade landed for the Benin operations of 1897 (Medal & clasp); he removed to the Widgeon on the same station in early 1897. Having then purchased his discharge in May 1904, Clarke enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve.

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he joined the battleship Majestic and was still serving in her at the time of her loss on 11 June 1915. On that date she was stationed off W Beach at Cape Helles and, around 0645 hours, Commander Otto Hersing of the U-21 fired a single torpedo through the defensive screen of destroyers and anti-torpedo nets, striking Majestic and causing a huge explosion. The ship began to list to port and in nine minutes capsized in 54 feet of water, with a loss of 49 men.

Majestic had earlier lent valuable service at assorted bombardments of the Turkish forts and one of her picket boats had been present at the attempted rescue of the submarine E-15 on 18 April 1915, a V.C. action.

Clarke next served in the battleships Revenge and Redoubtable in July-October 1915 but otherwise appears to have been employed at shore establishments. He was invalided from the service in April 1918 and received his Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C. Medal in March 1923; sold with copied service record.


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Sold for
£210