Photo: Dorothy Hall

Tess McTiernan has submitted the following:

Private Daniel Clark
RME/8197(S), Royal Marine Engineers

Daniel Clark, the eldest of twelve children, was born in 1885 to Bernard and Mary Clark (nee Gaffney) of White le Head, Tantobie. In 1901 he was a coal miner driver (below ground) and living at Blue Row, Tanfield Moor with his parents and siblings. In 1911, aged 25, Daniel was single and working as a coal miner hewer and living at Hawthorn Terrace, White le Head in the family home.

At the time of his enlistment into The Royal Marine Engineers, Daniel was living with his parents at The Avenue, Harelaw, close to St Patrick's R.C. Church, Dipton.

The Admiralty formed the original R.M.E. to resolve the labour shortage of 1917 which was delaying urgent work at Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland. Divisional headquarters was at Chatham, with a small depot company to receive and equip recruits. The RME's two main headquarters were in hutted camps at Southwick near Brighton and Bedmenham between Fareham and Gosport. Projects included an airfield at Scapa Flow and an oil pipeline between the Clyde and Forth. The unit demobilized soon after the Armistice.

In November 1918, Frank was admitted to 2nd Easter General Hospital, Dyke Road, Preston suffering from suspected 'Spanish Flu'. His mother Mary was present at his death on 18 November 1918. Cause of death was influenza and bronchopneumonia. Frank was 33 years old.

Remembered with Honour

Daniel Clark is remembered in Dipton on D46.06 and in Leadgate L65.01 (where his name is spelled “Clarke”

The CWGC entry for Private Clark