Basic Details
Surname
Clarke
Forenames
Francis William
Gender
Male
Information stated on memorial
Served or died
Died
Notes
His biography on the College website (see References) reads as follows: 'Francis William Clarke, Private, Royal Fusiliers (23rd Battalion). Francis William Clarke came up in 1894 from Dulwich College. Born: Peckham, London on 30 June 1875, Died in Rouen Hospital: 12 March 1916
We have very little information on him other than what appears in Alumni Cantabrigienses by J. A. Venn which tells us that came up with a scholarship of £40 for classics. He was awarded his degree in 1897, having taken Part I Classics. Unfortunately he falls foul of some errors and lapses in college and university records: he did not appear in the The War List of the University of Cambridge 1914-18 nor did Jesus College Society Annual Report provide an obituary for him. The examinations record for Jesus students is incomplete for those that matriculated between 1883 and 1895. The one place he is mentioned is in Chanticlere where he appears twice, once in the Michaelmas Term 1894 edition in a list of Freshmen and once in the Easter Term 1901 edition in a list of degrees conferred when he received his MA (1894, p151 and 1901, p388). There is one small piece of information to be gleaned from these two lists: in the list of freshmen it is noted that he got his colours for the Football XV while at school.He volunteered for the Sportsman’s Battalion soon after the start of the War (his army number was SPT 96). He died of his wounds at Rouen and in spite of the lack of record at the time is remembered on the College Memorial in Cloister Court.'
Primary Service
Our References
Service (Primary - Our reference)
Unit (Primary - Our reference)
Rank / Title (Primary - Our reference)
Death and Burial details
Country of death
France
Town of death
Rouen
Year of death
1916
Month of death
March
Day of death
12
Age at death
40
Manner of death reference
Died of Wounds
Personal Details
Occupation
Not Stated on Memorial