Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of James Clarke a domestic gardener, born in the January quarter of 1866 in Willoughby Waterleys, Leicestershire and baptised on the 20th August 1867 in St. Mary’s Church, Willoughby Waterleys (son of Joseph Clarke, 1826-1895 and Sarah Taylor, 1827-1904) and his wife Lucretia (Louisa) Clarke (nee Parker, married on the 23rd August 1886 in St. Peter’s Church, Glenfield, Leicestershire), born in the October quarter of 1866 in Greenwich, Kent (daughter of John Parker). Harold was born in the October quarter of 1893 in Glenfield, his siblings were, Wilfrid, born on the 8th July 1888 and baptised on the 23rd September 1888 in St. Peter’s Church, Glenfield, Elsie, born in the January quarter of 1890, Eveline, born in the October quarter of 1891, Agnes, born on the 18th January 1895, Rose, born in the January quarter of 1897, Sarah Ann, born in the April quarter of 1899 and Clara, born in the January quarter of 1901, all his siblings were born in Glenfield, in March 1901 the family home was at Station Road, Glenfield. In April 1911 Harold was employed as a market gardener and was residing in the family home at Station Road, Glenfield, together with his father, a market gardener, his mother and siblings, Eveline, a griswold machine worker, Agnes, a shoe trade machinist, Rose, a shoe trade machinist, Sarah, a schoolgirl, Clara, a schoolgirl, Emily, born in the April quarter of 1903 and Louisa, born in the October quarter of 1906, the latter two siblings were both born in Glenfield. Harold married Florrie Cooke on the 3rd April 1915, in St. Mary’s Church, Anstey, Leicestershire, Florrie was born on the 13th of December 1892 in Anstey (daughter of William Cooke, 1862 and Harriett Brotherhood, 1866). Harold’s widow Florrie married John William Stark in the April quarter of 1919 in the Barrow upon Soar, Leicestershire district, they resided at 19, Forest Gate, Anstey.
Harold’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Coalville into the Regular Army, date not known.
Joined. At place and date not known.
Posted. To Corps of Royal Engineers. Sapper., date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 132985.
Posted. To 254th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers, date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France 7/12/15.
Admitted. To 14th Field Ambulance, ventral hernia. In the Field. 5/3/17.
Discharged. To duty. In the Field. 7/3/17.
Killed in action. In the Field. 6/7/17.
Buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. The headstone inscription reads. “Peace, Perfect Peace.”
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, Harold nominated his wife Florrie, as his sole legatee.
On the 14th January 1918, Harold’s widow Florrie, of Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicestershire was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of thirteen shillings and nine pence, commensurate on the 21st January 1918.
The War Diary for the month of July 1917 is missing, and the last entry from the Mining Report for June 1917 recorded the following: The work has been considerably delayed owing to shortage of timber supplies, also difficulty in getting timber and stone up to the dug-outs on account of heavy shelling transport and forward dumps. All the dug-outs in the 15th Divisional Front will be finished by 15th July, except the dug-outs at head of Haymarket. They will probably require a few extra days to complete. The dug-outs in 55th Divisional front may require a few extra days over the 15th July, as progress has been delayed.

Source: Leicestershire War Memorials Project.
Coalville Times article - Friday September 7th, 1917

LOCAL CASUALTIES

Official notice has been received by Mrs H. Clarke, Forest Gate, Anstey that her husband, Sapper Harold Clarke, was killed in action on July 6th. Before enlisting he served four years in the Leicestershire Territorials and also spent some time in Egypt. He was formerly employed at the Desford Colliery.

Research undertaken and submitted by Andy Murby 19/12/2017