Photo: CLS Heritage Group
Husband of Elizabeth Clarke, of New Penshaw, Co. Durham.
In Ropery Lane Cemetery is a family headstone which reads:-
In loving memory of
Robert beloved son of
Robert and Mary Ann Clarke
who died through injuries received
at South Pelaw Colliery
December 9th 1928 aged 15 years
Also Charles Harle
beloved husband of Elizabeth Clarke
killed at sea September 11th 1940 aged 32 years
According to a website, S.S. Benavon sank on the 12th September, not 11th as stated on the CWGC entry.
How S.S. Benavon was sunk.
'It was decided to make one more sortie off Madagascar before heading for Australian waters to lay mines. On 12th September early a freighter was spotted 330 miles east of the island. Pinguin closed quickly on a deliberate 'collision course'; the freighter maintained hers in accordance with the International Collision Regulations until the two ships were just over a mile apart. At this point the freighter sounded a long warning blast of its whistle. The freighter turned away from the raider. Pinguin ran up its battle ensign and de-camouflaged. The freighter crew manned her 4-inch gun and increased her speed to escape. The freighter was signalled to stop and a 75 mm warning shot was fired. The freighter fired back, hitting Pinguin with a shell that ricocheted off the surface of the sea and pierced her port side ending up in the crew's quarters close to the storage compartment containing 300 high-explosive mines. The shells fired by Benavon had no fuse caps fitted and it did not explode. One of Pinguin's crew picked up the shell with his cap and threw it through the hole it had made in the ship's hull into the sea. Pinguin fired back, putting the freighter's gun and wireless out of action. It destroyed most of her lifeboats and set her on fire. The freighter's captain gave the order to abandon ship, but the bridge was hit and he was killed along with his deck officers and radio operator. A boarding party found five men aboard, three of them wounded. They and the 24 others that had already abandon ship were taken aboard Pinguin. The total number of survivors was 28. The ship was identified as the British freighter Benavon on her way to London from Manila and Singapore with a cargo of hemp, jute and rubber. It had a crew of 49 and was armed with one 4-inch and one 3-inch anti-aircraft gun. Three of the wounded died of their injuries after boarding Pinguin, and they were buried with full military honours.'
Source: German auxiliary ships
Charles Harle Clarke is remembered at Chester-le-Street on C105.05 and in C105.38 and on C105.40
