George Edwin Clark

Memorial: South Gloucestershire war dead not on a local memorial

Regiment: Royal Navy

Medals: 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Silver War Badge, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Leading Stoker 311211

Parents: Naomi and Charles Clark step-father William Saunders

Home address: North Street, Oldland, Bristol

Pre-war occupation: Sailor with the Royal Navy

Date of birth: 08/01/1888

Place of birth: Upton Cheyney

Date of death: 01/11/1914

Buried/Commemorated at: Died at sea. Commemorated at Plymouth Naval Memorial. Not commemorated on a local memorial

Age: 26

Further information:

George was born in Upton Cheyney, the son of a mill labourer and a middle child of three with an older brother and a younger sister. George's father died at the age of 26 when George was just 3 years old. Seven years later, in 1898, his mother married William a fitter at the paper mill and George acquired several step siblings.

George enlisted in the Navy in 1907 when he was described as 5'5" in height with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. He gave his occupation as a bootmaker. George served in the Navy in both peacetime and wartime and his first ship in 1907 was the Vivid II. George was promoted in 1912 from Stoker to Leading Stoker and joined his last ship the HMS Monmouth in July 1914. The Monmouth was an armoured cruiser and in August 1914 was stationed off the South American coast as part of a squadron tasked with patrolling the waters for German warships. George was killed in action on November 1st 1914 during the Battle of Coronel, off the coast of Chile. On the day of his death the squadron was attacked by the German fleet and George’s ship along with a second armoured ship, the Good Hope, were sunk within two hours of the first shot killing all on board, a total of 1,660 men.

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

This information has been provided by Sarah Hands, Volunteer Researcher for the South Gloucestershire War Memorials Web Site.
By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):
https://www.cwgc.org/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/
https://www.findmypast.co.uk/
https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/
https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?135896