A Volunteer's 'East Africa' casualty medal group of 7: Assistant Controller of Customs, William Robert Clarke, M.B.E., H.M. Indian Customs Service late No. 1 Gun, Bombay Section Volunteer Maxim Gun Company & Bombay Volunteer Rifles

- Order of the British Empire (Civil). Member's (M.B.E.) 2nd Type badge. With mounting bar
- 1914-15 Star (No.128 Pte. W. R. Clarke, Bo. Battn. I.D.F. Attd. Vol. Max. Gun. Coy)
- British War Medal. Silver issue (57 Pte. W. R. Clarke, Bo. Vol. Rfls.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (57 Pte. W. R. Clarke, Bo. Vol. Rfls.)
- Jubilee Medal 1935
- Volunteer Long Service Medal (India & Colonies). GV issue (Pte. W. R. Clarke, 15-Bom. Bn. I.D.F.)
- Efficiency Medal. GV issue with 'India' bar (Pte. W. R. Clarke, Bombay Bn., A.F.I.)

The M.B.E. retaining its original investiture mounting pin, with hinged pin and clasp fittings. The second to seventh medals mounted in the swing style suspended from contemporary silk ribands, on a typical 'Australian' (the recipient migrated to Australia post independence) brass mounting bar, this with a space at front for attaching the M.B.E., and retaining its long hinged pin and clasp fittings. The medals all being as-worn by the recipient.

Severely Wounded-in-Action (Reported Killed-in-Action): Private William Robert Clarke of the Bombay Volunteer Rifles Maxim Gun Company was severely 'Wounded-in-Action' in East Africa on, 11 March 1916. Bizarrely, the recipient had been reported 'Killed-in-Action' to his family in Bombay, the below following obituary notice being published in the Times of India issue of, 18 March 1916

Quote,

On the 11th March at British East Africa William Robert Clarke of H.M.S. Customs Bombay killed in action. B.V. Rifles Maxim Gun Corps. Deeply regretted by his sorrowing mother, brother and step-father

Unquote.

O.B.E. London Gazette 13 June 1946.

Medals verification: The M.B.E. and all campaign, royal commemorative and long service medals confirmed as entitled per below cited sources:

- Order of the British Empire (Civil). Member's (M.B.E.): London Gazette 13 June 1946
- 1914-15 Star: WO 372/4/151370 Medal Index Card No 128 entered East Africa, November 1914
- British War Medal: WO 372/25/3644 MIC shows No 57, medals issued by Gov't of India
- Interallied Victory Medal: WO 372/25/3644 MIC shows No 57, medals issued by Gov't of India
- Jubilee Medal 1935: Jubilee Medal Roll, India allocation
- Volunteer Long Service Medal . GV: Awarded 28/03/22 per Indian Army Order No. 196 of 1922
- Efficiency Medal. GV issue 'India' bar: Awarded 18/09/36 per Indian Army Order No. 794 of 1936

William Robert Clarke served as a Private in the Volunteer Maxim Gun Company (later in the war also known as the Volunteer Machine Gun Company), a unit which served with distinction in East Africa having been drawn from the ranks of the various Indian Volunteer Regiments.

The Indian Volunteer Maxim Gun Company & Latema Hill: In August 1914 the Volunteer units of the Indian Defence Force were recruited from white and mixed-race members of the civilian community whose expectations were that they would only be used operationally within India for local or home defence. However, on the declaration of war, several members of Volunteer units wished to serve overseas, and their willingness allowed the Indian authorities to assemble three units for service in East Africa. An artillery battery, a Maxim Gun Company and a railway defence section were dispatched along with a few specialists such as signallers.

In early 1916, massive numbers of South African reinforcements arrived in theatre and preparations were made for the invasion of German East Africa. The Indian Volunteers now had friendly aircraft flying overhead and armoured cars trundling through the bush besides them. The company was issued with 20 First Line pack mules tended by a Conductor and six 'Cape Boys' from the South African Service Corps. However, two more battles had to be fought on BEA soil and the Company shed blood in both of them.

During the abortive attack on Salaita Hill on 12 February 1916, all six guns of the Company came into action on the South African right flank, but when the assaulting white South African infantry broke and fled under the impact of a ferocious German Askari counterattack, the Indian Volunteers were left in an exposed position. The Company withdrew in good order, but Sergeant J Sinclair (Lucknow) was mortally wounded, dying soon afterwards.
In order to clear a railway route into German East Africa the Latema and Reata hills had to be captured and the new British commander, General Smuts, mounted a set-piece Brigade attack. The Company deployed all six guns in support of the 130th Baluchis who attacked Latema on 11 March. The Germans fiercely contested the hills and the battle ebbed and flowed throughout the afternoon and night until at dawn the enemy commander's nerve failed and he withdrew westwards into German East Africa.

Clarke appears in a group photograph held at the Imperial War Museum, Catalogue number HU 94426.

William Robert Clarke, the son of William Thomas Clarke, was born circa 1891. William described as 27 year old 'Preventive Officer' with H.M. Customs, married Helene Muriel Selkirk (the 21 year old daughter of Robert Henry Selkirk) at St. Thomas' Cathedral, Bombay, on, 24 April 1918. Willam and Muriel were subsequently blessed with 2 x sons, Robert 'Bob' William Clarke (1921-2001) and George Douglas Clarke (1925-1969). All of the Clarke family subsequently migrated to Australia, where they settled in Adelaide, South Australia. William Robert Clarke, is recorded to have been residing at Harcourt Gardens, Adelaide, South Australia, when he died on, 23 May 1960

Wing Commander George Douglas Clarke, VrC, Indian Air Force: William's youngest son, George, became a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force, and served in the Kashmir War 1947-48, with 7th Squadron Indian Air Force, and for which services he was decorated with the Vir Chakra, awarded to him per the Gazette of India issue dated 29 March 1948:

Quote,

Fg. Off. (Now Sqn. Ldr.) George Douglas Clarke (3295) proved himself as one of the outstanding pilots in the Jammu and Kashmir Operations. He carried out numerous close support sorties with excellent results. His coolness, skill and courage were of the highest order during the Operations.

The officer carried out 75 Operational Sorties totaling about 200 hours mostly in close support of our ground troop. His accurate bombing, rocketry and gunnery inflicted severe damage on enemy positions and often foiled enemy advances.

For the valuable service rendered by him during the Jammu and Kashmir Operations, he has been awarded the Vir Chakra.

Unquote.

George Douglas Clarke retired from the Indian Air Force holding the rank of Wing Commander

A finely engraved large 'family' memorial headstone is located at Centennial Park Cemetery Pasadena, Mitcham City, South Australia, Australia. The memorial headstone including the details of William Robert Clarke and George Douglas Clarke, each including the post nominal awards

A superb and rare combination of medals to 'Bombay Volunteer' and 'True Son of Empire'

Condition: MBE about EF others mostly GVF

Code: 24364