On Tower Hill Memorial is the name of First Mate Robert Richard Clarke, serving on S.S. Strathcona (Hamilton, Ontario) with the Mercantile Marine who died 13/04/1917.

The son of the late James Albert and Eliza Clarke and the husband of Ada Phoebe Clarke (nee Stone), of 37, Warwick Street, Middlesbrough. He was born at Lowestoft, Suffolk.

Rev. David Youngson has submitted the following:

A Master Mariner residing at Middlesbrough, he was Initiated into 1879 Lord Warkworth lodge, Masonic Hall, Gloucester Terrace, Amble on the 12th April 1911; Passed 12th July 1911 and Raised on the 8th November 1911.

He died on the 13th April 1917 aged 55 and is remembered on the Tower Hill Memorial, London.

The SS Strathcona (1881 grt) owned by the Canada Steamship Company Limited of Montreal built in 1900 was captured by the German submarine U78 one hundred and forty five miles WNW from Ronaldsay, Orkney. The Master, Chief Engineer and 3rd Engineer were taken prisoner. The ship was shelled and sunk with the loss of 9 crew.

Robert Richard Clarke is remembered in our List of Ships’ Crews.