Sir Rupert Turner CLARKE

[rarpos]

I need some assistance to find information on this man. Born 16 March 1865 in Victoria, Australia. Attended Oxford University but took no degree.

I believe that at the outbreak of WW1 he travelled to England, and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the British Army Service Corps.

He saw service in Salonica.

Can anybody help me with more information?

 

Thanks,

[George Rayner]

He has references in Find My past and different ones in Ancestry

https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search/results?sourcecategory=armed forces %26 conflict&firstname=rupert turner&lastname=clarke&sourcecountry=great britain

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=60721&h=762622&tid=&pid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=JrD49&_phstart=successSource

 

George

[DavidOwen]

He served in the Army Service Corps, his officer service file is at TNA https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1081525 Whilst it hasn't yet been digitised an independent researcher will be able to copy it for you at a reasonable fee (one such is https://www.arcre.com/ others are available). It will have been heavily weeded but often they can contain interesting snippets.

 

David

[PRC]

There are service records at the National Archive for a 2nd Lieutenant Rupert Turner Havelock Clarke, (Royal) Army Service Corps.The catalogue entry says they cover 1915-1917 and then there is also a reference to 1937.  Is that the same man?

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1081525

Edit - see David has beat me to that one.

 

Unfortunately as an Officer his papers are not digitised and as far as I'm aware there are no definate plans to put them online in the very near future. There are several researchers on the site and elsewhere who offer a paid service to copy the papers on site at Kew. Never had cause to use them but I'm sure if you put in a forum search some will come up.

 

The Medal Index Card for Lieutenant Sir Rupert Turner Havelock Clarke is also held at the National Archive.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D1827773

 

There is a preview watermarked version available on that site, (or the option to download at a cost - not recommended for what you get), but this only gives you the front page - the reverse side with contact details isn't included. Ancestry have both sides of the card available as an image while FindMyPast has a transcription.

 

He qualified for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal, having first landed at Salonica on the 26th January 1916. As an Officer he had to apply for his medals which he did in December 1921 when his contact address was given as 7 Charles Street, Mayfair, West London. By the time the medals were ready for issue it looks like there was a new address of Kismet, Sydney, New South Wales. If you have Ancestry the card can be seen here https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1262/30850_A000331-01977?pid=3472681&treeid=&personid=&rc=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=qEf10440&_phstart=successSource

 

You can also probably follow his appointment and promotion through the London Gazette and the Army Lists but they will simply show Army Service Corps not specific units..

 

I can see a couple of potential references in the outbound passenger lists, (from the UK), but don't have a subscription with sufficient access on the genealogy website I use.

 

In 1917 a Sir Rupert Turner Clarke salied from London aboard the Khiva bound for Melbourne, Australia. He was then aged 52. In 1926 a Sir Rupert Clarke sailed from London aboard the Mooltan bound for Marseille. He was then aged 61.

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[helpjpl]

Australian Dictionary of Biography:

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/clarke-sir-rupert-turner-5672

 

JP

[sadbrewer]

A couple of bits you may find interesting from the British Newspaper Archive. 

Firstly the Folkestone Express August 1909.

 

The Western Gazette...New Years Eve 1926.

 

 

Edited 26 November , 2019 by sadbrewer

[PRC]

1 hour ago, PRC said:

Kismet, Sydney, New South Wales.

 

1 hour ago, helpjpl said:

Australian Dictionary of Biography:

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/clarke-sir-rupert-turner-5672

 

I see from the Australian Dictionary of Biography that one of his estates was called Kismet, (along with one of his yachts).

 

It also states he died on the 25th December 1926 at Monte Carlo. The 1927 UK Probate calendar has an entry for him relating to the value of his UK property and effects. He'd obviously either sold them off or had transferred them,as the estate was only worth £134. The entry does however show his main address at the time and the place of death.

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Clarke&yearOfDeath=1927&page=9#calendar

 

Hope that helps,

Peter

[HarryBrook]

Gazetted Lieutenant into The Army Service Corps 7 April 1915 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29133/page/3723 and relinquished his commission on account of ill-health 8 February 1917 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29932/supplement/1344

[rarpos]

Many thanks for all this information.