Clark, Harris Pearce (Private, b.1895 - d.1966)

Collection relating to the First World War service of 1442 Private Harris Pearce Clarke, 33rd Infantry Battlion, band member and stretcher bearer, France and England 1916-1919.

The collection consists of postcards and letters dated from 1916 to 1919.

There are 55 postcards sent from England and France between 1916 and 1919. Most are from 1442 Private Harris Pearce Clark to his sister Joyce Clark. There are also postcards written by a dozen other soldiers to Joyce. Photographic subjects of postcards include portraits of the men (unidentified except for 2659 William Leslie Symonds); France, the Salisbury Plain and three from Egypt.

As well as a partial (typed) transcript of letters, there are 62 letters sent by Clark to his immediate family in the small town of Aberdeen, Upper Hunter region of New South Wales, and also to his extended family in England. The letters begin with Clark's initial training at Rutherglen, Victoria and continue throughout his voyage to England and arrival at Lark Hill. Letters from Lark Hill camp, just north of Salisbury, mention that Clark has joined a Brigade Band, although not which instrument he plays. In August 1916 Clark is hospitalised and undergoes an operation to remove a large growth under his arm. This becomes septic, and he remains in hospital for some weeks. He frequently refers to aunties, uncles and cousins in Walden, Essex. In late November 1916 Clark arrives in France in his capacity as stretcher-bearer. He records foul weather, rats, mud and cold. In a letter to his father he vividly describes trench warfare, retrieving wounded men under cover of darkness and heavy fire and the 'things that come from Fritz's iron foundries'. In August 1917 Clark is removed from France with heart trouble and mentions 'I have not been myself since that raid we held on the 24th February'. He is transferred to the Australian Army Service Corps at Portland. In September Clark is granted leave and visits his extended family. For over a year Clark expects to be returned to Australia, but in November 1918 he attends a signalling course, interrupted by news of the Armistice a week later. In December 1918 Clark and others fill in the training trenches at the Signalling School. The last letter in the collection is dated 12 March 1919, with Clark still in England and hoping to return to Australia soon.

There is a single postcard dated 1962 in which Clark appears to have returned to Milngavie, Scotland and comments on the changes that have taken place in the town.