Robert Shuttleworth Clarke
Sunday 26 September 1915
Army Rank: Captain Number: Regiment: 5th Battalion King’s Shropshire Light InfantryBorn: 22nd April, 1890Died: 25th September, 1915Age: 25Cause of Death: Killed in action Commemorated at Hereford Cathedral School and Hereford Cathedral. Born in Marstow, Herefordshire, his father was the Rev. William Shuttleworth Clarke M.A, Vicar of Marstow, and his mother was Maria Brandran Jones, daughter of Dr Edmund Jones of Mountcraig, Ross. Robert S Clarke was educated at Oakshade Preparatory School, Malvern College, Hereford Cathedral School and St. John's College, Cambridge gaining his B.A. in 1912. He then became a Master at the Golden Parsonage Preparatory School near Hemel Hempstead. He was a very keen sportsman, in the athletic sports at Cambridge in March 1912 he came second to P.J.Baker in the mile and won the three miles. In the Inter-University sports of that year, he represented Cambridge in the mile coming second to A.N.S Jackson of Oxford. In 1913 he was president of the C.U.A.C, the first captain of the Lady Margaret Boat Club to do so. In that year he again came second to Jackson in the mile. He was a cross country 'Blue'. He rowed three in the Lady Margaret Four which won the Wyfold challenge cup at Henley in 1913. The Great War On 25th August 1914, Robert Clarke enlisted as a Private but was given a commission and gazetted 2nd Lieutenant on 7th September 1914 into the 5th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 30th November and then further promoted to Captain on 17th June 1915. He continued his sporting prowess in the army. On 6th March 1915 in a six mile cross country race open to the 14th Division at Aldershot, Clarke was the first Officer home for which he received a medal presented by H.M. Queen Mary. The 5th Batt.K.S.L.I were placed second in the race to the 5th Batt. Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. On 3rd April the position of the Battalions was reversed in a relay race of four miles. The team, consisting of Lieut. R S Clarke, Lieut H G Booker and Privates Edwards and Stuart was placed first receiving medals. On 13th April Lieut. Clarke won the silver cup for the mile open to Aldershot Command. Clarke was the winner of 55 prizes in all, five at Oakshade Preparatory School, 11 at Malvern College where he was champion athlete in 1909, 34 at Cambridge, one while at Hemel Hempstead and four at Aldershot. On 21st May 1915 he went with his regiment to France. They landed at Boulogne and then marched to Erkelsbrugge where they stayed until 31st May when they moved to dug outs 2 Miles South East of Ypres. The body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial. He is also commemorated at Marstow Church, Hereford Cathedral School and Malvern College.He was awarded The 1914/5 Star, The British War Medal, The Victory Medal.