My great grand uncles, George, James and Stewart Clark

by Marilyne Lambert

My great grand uncles, George, James and Stewart Clark all volunteered for the Overseas Expeditionary Forces in Edmonton. They were born in Summerside, P.E.I. and travelled west with their parents for employment opportunities and the dream of homesteading. George had a wife and 3 young children, James and his wife had a new baby girl but they signed up together on July 5th, 1915. Stewart signed up two years later. Unfortunately only one would return.

At 5:45am on July 24th, 1918, George Hiram Clark, Regiment #466169, 8th Battalion, was severely wounded by a “Minenwerfer” shell exploding close by. He was immediately evacuated to No. 13 Canadian Field Ambulance but did not survive. He is buried in the Anzio St. Auxin British Cemetery in Arras, France. His oldest son, Eric William Clark, only 9 years old at the time, would later give his life in World War 2.

James Freeman Clark, Regiment #466170, Unit C.A.M.C., Service #523415 was mortally wounded by gunfire in Rouen, France one month later on August 23, 1918. He is buried there in grave 21, plot 3, row 1, Saint Sever Cemetery.

Stewart Glenroy Clark, 21 years old, Regiment #2110009, was younger with no dependents and safely came home to his grieving parents in 1919. I cannot imagine the great suffering and loss that so many young wives, children and parents suffered through during those difficult times. This old picture is the only one that I have of the Clark family together before the boys left Edmonton. The two in uniform (back row) are George and James, Stewart stands second from left beside his uniformed brother. He would have his own uniform just 2 years later. My own grandmother was absent with a new baby. In the front row are my proud great grandparents, Freeman Clark and Anna Muttart Clark.