LIEUT.-COLONEL CHARLES DOUGLAS CLARK, T.D., O.C. 1/5TH BATTN. QUEEN'S OWN ROYAL WEST KENT REGT. (T.F.). DIED AT SEA, OFF PLYMOUTH, OF ILLNESS CONTRACTED ON ACTIVE SERVICE, JANUARY 22ND, 1920. AGED 37. At the School 1897—99 (School House). Lieut.-Colonel C. D. Clark, T.D., late of Achray, Scots Avenue, Shortlands, was the elder son of the late Mr. Charles Douglas Clark, of Eccleshill, Bromley, and of the Stock Exchange, and was himself a partner in the firm of C. Douglas Clark & Sons, of the Stock Exchange. He married on July 19th, 1906, Maude Ethel, daughter of the late Mr. J. E. Shaw, of Silvermead, Bromley, and his widow was left with two sons, aged respectively twelve and ten. Entering the School in May, 1897, from the Abbey School, Beckenham, he was in the Corps, then a Cadet Corps joined by considerably less than one-third of the School, and was in the Shooting VIII. of 1898. He left from Modern B. at Easter, 1899, and having taken a commission in 1900 in the 2nd Volunteer Battn. of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, before the Territorial Force came into being, he had proved himself throughout a most energetic and able officer. He also took the greatest interest in the sport of his men and was himself a keen member of the Football team. He had been promoted Major, August 9th, 1912, and sailed for India on December 1st, 1914, as second in command of the l/5th Battn. The Battalion went to Jhansi and served in India for nearly three years. Then on December 11th, 1917, they left for Mesopotamia, where they served for two years in the 54th Infantry Brigade in the 18th Division. He was in command of the Battalion with the Acting Rank of Lieut.- Colonel from May 2nd to September 19th, 1918, and again from January 10th, 1919, till his death, and was " mentioned " in Lieut.-General W. R. Marshall's Despatch dated February 7th, 1919. His health had doubtless suffered as the result of hardships and illness in Mesopotamia, for whilst in that country he had an attack of influenza, followed almost immediately by sandfly fever. The Brigade took part in the operations on the Tigris and the advance to Mosul and, though a big draft had left the Battalion in February, 1919, its strength being made up by drafts of H.L.I., Royal West Kents and Welch Pioneers, they remained with the Army of Occupation at Mosul until they received orders for home in November, 1919. His younger brother, Lieut. Alfred Nowell William Clark [Sc. 1897—1901, Shooting VIII. 1900 and 1901], had resigned a commission in the 5th Battn. of the Royal West Kents in 1912, but was recommissioned to the Battalion in January, 1917, and going out to India was on the Transport Cameronia when she was sunk by a submarine in the Mediterranean on April 15th, 1917. He went with the Battalion to Mesopotamia, but from January 3rd, 1918, to March 12th, 1919, was seconded to the Staff as A.D.C. to the G.O.C. 18th Division, and then returned to England. He, too, like his brother was mentioned in the Despatch dated February 7th, 1919. The following is an extract from a special order, issued to the Battalion on their departure from Mosul by the G.O.C. 54th Brigade, in which Lieut.-Colonel Clark was specially mentioned as one of those whose names would long be remembered with honour in the Battalion. "The l/5th Royal West Kent Regiment was among the earliest of the Territorial Battalions to volunteer for foreign service, and came to India in 1914. While ia India it gained a name for itself, of which it should be deservedly proud. Its reputation preceded it to Mesopotamia, and during the two years it has been with the 54th Infantry Brigade, it has worthily upheld this reputation and added more lustre to it. " Its good spirit was never more conspicuously shown than in the wet, cold and discomfort of the march from Baghdad to Akab in March, 1918, in the heat and dust of the advance to Tekrit in May, 1918, is the long and trying night march over the unknown and dangerous Jebel Hamrin in October, 1918, which resulted in the capture of the Fathah position on the Tigris; in its dash forward to the Lesser Zab, and the action near Homr; in the crossing of the Tigris near Huwaish, and in its final triumphant entry into Mosul, on November 5th, 1918. " Perhaps the same spirit has never shown itself more forcibly than in the long and trying wait, after the conclusion of hostilities, till the final orders were received for the return of the Battalion to England." The Battalion left Mosul on November 27th, 1919, and after spending Christmas at Basra on their way to Bombay, embarked for home on the Melita on January 2nd, 1920. Severe influenza broke out before they reached Aden and various deaths occurred during the voyage, though some twenty cases were transferred to Hospital at Port Said. It was only after leaving Gibraltar that Lieut.-Colonel Clark became a victim, but his condition became rapidly very serious and he died shortly after the boat was brought to anchor off Plymouth on January 22nd, 1920.