The dawn of the legend

Lancelot Fox Clarke

One of the inspiring figures in the early hours of the landing at ANZAC was the 57-year-old commanding officer of the 12th Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Clarke, “a brave and gallant gentleman”. He landed in a boat brought in by HMS Ribble – possibly the one displayed here. Once ashore, he recognised there was no time to waste. He sent a platoon to silence an enemy machine-gun then led his men up the hills. When reminded that these were not the orders he had been given, he replied firmly, “I can’t help that”.

Clarke was the oldest battalion commander of the force: he had been decorated in the Boer War. On Gallipoli, men looking for leadership were drawn to him. The climb up from the beach exhausted Clarke, but he got there with the rest of his men.

On the ridge the colonel coolly took command: “Steady, you fellows! Get into some sort of formation and clear the bush as you go.” Reaching the Nek, he was anxious to get information back to Sinclair-MacLagan, the covering force commander. While standing, writing in his message book, he was shot, and fell with the pencil in one hand and the book in the other.

Colonel Lancelot Fox Clarke DSO VD H15783