Lovat Scout- John Clark

[Waddell]

I need some help with this frustrating one.

I have been looking into my Great Uncle Jack's war service for a a while, including the museum, and have drawn a blank.

I recently contacted an aunt in Edinburgh (Uncle Jack's daughter) about him in the the hope that she may have his service number on his medals. She only has his ribbons but has his spoon which has the number 22666 on it. She believes that this is his service number.

As she had the medals it confirms to me that he fought overseas. She also mentioned that he spent time in Salonika, which sounds right.

She also told me that he had joined the Lovat's because his mother was brought up on the Lovat Estate.

Can someone help me locate his MIC through this service number (?) or explain why I can't find him on the National Archives MIC records (There are over 1000 John Clarks on the database- I have looked twice).

John Clark Service No.22666. Lovat scouts.

Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,

Scott

[nhclark]

Scott,

There is a John Clarke, 1st Lovat Scouts, no. 2236, enlisted 7th August 1914 discharged 21st October 1916, wounds. (This is a Silver War Badge card.)

Same number, John Clark, Lovat's Scouts, BWM, VM, 1914-15 Star, theatre of war 2B (Balkans), date of entry thereto: 26th September 1915.

If this sounds possible I can post the images for you.

Noel

[Waddell]

Thanks Noel,

That does sound like a possibility as I was given the number over the phone. Clark is spelt without the E in our family but there may have been a typo. It could explain why I can't find the MIC under Clark.

I would appreciate a copy of the images sent to me.

Regards,

Scott

[Waddell]

Noel,

Is it easier for you to e-mail them. I can send my address via PM if so?

Regards,

Scott.

[nhclark]

Noel,

Is it easier for you to e-mail them. I can send my address via PM if so?

Regards,

Scott.

Scott, here they are:

I cannot find anything in the surviving pension or service records on www.ancestry.co.uk

Noel

[Waddell]

Greatly appreciated Noel,

I'm pretty sure thats him. That's the MIC I couldn't find, Clark on the MIC, Clarke on the SWB.

Regards,

Scott.

[nhclark]

Scott, yes, he's the only fit that I could find.

I would not be concerned at all on the matter of spelling. My experience is that in the past both alternatives seemed to be accepted. My great-grandfather certainly seemed to accept both variants, although we, too, have used (or tried to!) Clark since the early 1900s.

And I'm sure you will have shared my experience that many people seem to write "Clarke" unless they are specifically told otherwise. I have never quite worked out why this is so, because it is much easier to add the "e" than to delete it. But it happens to me quite often.

I have concluded that it is just an old wives tale that there is some religious significance in the two spellings.

Best wishes,

Noel