Sydney Campbell (Sammy) CLARKE

CLARKE, Sydney Campbell

Service Number: 427498
Enlisted: 19 July 1942
Last Rank: Flying Officer
Last Unit: No. 8 Squadron (RAAF)
Born: West Midland, Western Australia, Australia , 5 April 1914
Home Town: Perth, Western Australia
Schooling: Hale School, Perth, Western Australia
Occupation: Salesman
Died: Flying Battle, New Guinea, 24 January 1945, aged 30 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Lae Memorial, Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea Panel 6
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lae Memorial, Wembley Downs Hale School Honour Roll 1, Wembley Downs Hale School Memorial Grove
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World War 2 Service

19 Jul 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 427498
24 Jan 1945: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 427498, No. 8 Squadron (RAAF)

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Biography contributed by Geoffrey Clarke

Sydney "Sammy" Clarke was son of Sydney Walter and Elisabeth Clarke, nee Campbell, of Perth, WA. He attended Perth Boys School and Hale School, captaining the school's 1st XVIII in 1930 and the State Schoolboys Football Team at the Brisbane Carnival in 1928. He joined Claremont Football Club in the WANFL being considered the most talented young footballer in the state. In his first year as league footballer in 1933 as an 18 year old he won the Sandover Medal as fairest and best in the league, a feat he repeated in 1934. He represented the state on 8 occasions and captained the state against South Australia in 1934. He was premiership player in 1939 and inducted into the Western Australian Hall of Champions in 2009. He played 133 games of league football. He enlisted in to RAAF in July 1942 as Flying Officer with No. 8 Squadron Flying Beauforts. He was lost with 3 other crew piloting Beaufort A9-630 after failing to return from an anti-submarine sweep near Tadji, New Guinea.

 

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