George CLARK Sapper 112627, Royal Engineers. Died 11 th December 1915. George Clark, a keen sportsman who played football for Howden-le- Wear AFC, lived in High Street, Howden-le-Wear, with his wife Amelia and their six sons and two daughters, later moving to Victoria Row. George worked as a hewer at Beechburn Colliery before enlisting in the Royal Engineers, where he was attached to the 175 th Tunnelling Company. North East England was a prime recruitment area as Durham coalminers proved to be excellent sappers for the dangerous work of tunnelling under enemy lines. Men were recruited from the many pits around Howden-le-Wear and in 1914, following a recruitment drive at Beechburn Colliery, George Clark, despite his now being 40 years of age, enlisted at London. The 175 th Tunnelling Company was formed in April 1915 and was very active in the Ypres Salient area, digging tunnels deep under enemy lines and detonating explosive charges. Unfortunately, whilst working above ground on 11 th December 1915 somewhere in the Ypres Salient, George was killed in action by enemy fire and has no known grave. He would never know that his eldest son would also be a casualty of the same conflict. George is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres and his name was added to the memorial in Howden-le-Wear.

RememberingOur Fallen

Howden-le-Wear History Society

George Clark.

Image courtesy of William Clark