Frederick Alfred Clarke was born on Tuesday, 7th March 1899 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire and baptised on Friday, 14th February 1902, along with his younger sister Ruth at St. Mary’s Church on the High Street in the town. He was the second son and sixth child born to Charlie (Charles) Clarke and Rose Hall. Charlie and Rose had a family of ten together starting with Gertrude May in 1888 then Charles William in 1891. Rose followed in 1894, Ellen in 1896, then Louie (Louisa) Catherine in 1898 before Frederick arrived in1899. Ruth was next at the end of 1900 followed by Cissie in 1903 and finally Florence Eva in 1910. The 1911 Census indicates that of the ten children three had died. Reseach has confirmed that little Ruth passed away aged only four in 1905 but the identity of the other two children who died is not clear as neither child is recorded in the existing census records and no birth or death records can be found. Rose died in 1916 aged twenty-one. 

Frederick’s father Charlie was a “Master Painter”, and the large family lived a No. 9 Piccotts End near Hemel Hempstead for many years until moving to live at 6, Bury Hill in the town. Frederick left school in 1913 but it is not known where he went to work prior to the outbreak of war and until the time he enlisted for service. He attested at Watford in July 1917 when he had reached the age of eighteen and enlisted in the Army. He was first posted to the Training Reserve and on completion of his basic training he was sent overseas to a Base Depot and to await posting. The exact date of his arrival in France is not known but it was probably around March 1918 when he had reached his nineteenth birthday. His subsequent posting sent him to the 18th Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers, and he joined the unit to the east of Albert.

He was soon in the trenches and during the next three months the 18th Lancashires had regular tours on the frontline. In July the Battalion moved to St Elooi south of Ypres as the Allies prepared for an offensive which culminated in the Fifth Battle of Ypres or the Advance of Flanders. For most of July, Frederick and his comrades were in support, reserve or in the line and casualties were beginning to mount. There were also regular nighttime raiding parties which were seen as necessary although hugely unpopular amongst the soldiers due to the extreme dangers. These were not least due to “friendly fire” as there were often reports of covering barrages falling short and even landing on the attacking raiding party.

August brought some respite and was altogether quieter with training and resting the order of the day, but this was all to change as preparations began in September for a major Allied assault. The Battalion moved to new positions between Poperinghe and Ypres and Frederick found himself at the notorious “Hill 60” awaiting orders to go into battle. At 5.30 a.m. on the 30th September, the 18th Lancashires went into action in the Fifth Battle of Ypres. Objectives were achieved at relatively low cost initially and over 250 Germans were taken prisoner along with a significant assortment of armaments. The action concluded on the 2nd October but only after two days of more difficult fighting and in all the Battalion suffered 318 casualties. Sadly Frederick was one of these.

He was on the last day of the battle and he succumbed to his injuries the following day. He died on Wednesday, 3rd October 1918.

Frederick was commemorated on the War Memorial Plaque in St. Mary’s Church on the High Street in Hemel Hempstead where he had been baptised and worshipped. His named is engraved as "Clark" on the town memorial but all other records discovered record his surname as "Clarke".

He is Remembered with Honour on Tyne Cot Memorial, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, Panel 54 to 60.

He was only 18 years old when he died.

Frederick was entitled to the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.