Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The late Major Clive Collingwood Dangar, M.C., youngest son of the late Mr. A. A. Dangar, of Baroona, Whittingham, N.S.W., was born at Baroona in 1882, and educated at The Armidale School, New England. After holding a commission with the Third Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment, with which he served in Africa during the Boer War, being mentioned in despatches, he obtained a commission in the 13th Hussars, and was for some years stationed in India with that regiment. Resigning his commission before the outbreak of the present war, he took up pastoral pursuits at Gostwyck, in the New England district, N.S.W.

At the commencement of 1915 he left for England, and offering his services to his old regiment, the 13th Hussars, carried out training work in England until he was transferred to Egypt and attached to the Australian Mounted Forces. He was actively employed in military operations in Egypt, receiving the Military Cross, and was later severely wounded during the advance in Palestine. He resumed duty with a staff appointment until illness about May last necessitated leaving his work, and after being in hospital for some weeks he was granted leave in order to recuperate in Australia. On arrival in Melbourne it became necessary to remove him to a hospital, where he passed peacefully away in the early hours of Thursday, the 4th inst. He was buried at Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, with full military honours

His wife, who is a daughter of the late Hon. H. C. Dangar, M.L.C., and two daughters survive him.

CLIVE COLLINGWOOD DANGAR. (12.1.1882 - 4.7.1918)
Called Clive and “Snakey”
From "Baroona", Whittingham, Singleton. His father was A.A. Dangar.
At TAS a bit over 4 years from Aug. 1894 to March 1899. 1st Cricket XI and in the Tennis team. "A useful member the debating society and a good actor". After school he sailed to England in 1899 to  enter a course of military training as Lieut. of Militia Regiment In Yorkshire. On the way he stopped at Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and sent the School for its museum a Buddhist Bible written on palm  leaves. He visited the Cambridge University Colleges and wrote "I wished that I had only been clever enough to belong to one of them, and then I should have put in a few jolly years, an ideal life.” 

Served in the South African War with the Third Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment. He wrote a cheerful letter to his mother on 6.6.1900 printed in the Armidalian. He tells in it of a fight in  which "we had about 130 killed and wounded” about men marching for 2 days on one three-quarter ration. Mentioned in despatches. Served in India from 1901to 1908 a Captain with the 13th Hussars.

Then he returned to flew England and purchased “Gostwyck” Uralla, He married his cousin Mora Danger on 31.3.1909. His two daughters Nancy Noreen (Wright) and Phoebe Patricia Giblin were born at North Sydney.

On School Board. In September 1912 he presented the School with a new set of mats for the front of the School. In 1913 his father resigned from the School Board (the School was then a Limited  Company) and Capt. Danger as he then was, became the first Old Boy member of the Board. On 8.12.1914 he reported to the Board that "He was offering his services for the War and would shortly be  sending in his resignation. At the request of the Board he consented not to resign and was granted 6 months' leave of absence." (Board Minutes)

Served in the War: He sailed for England early in 1915 to offer his services to his old Regiment the 13th Hussars. He wrote to the Armidalian from the S.S. "Maloja" on 10.2.1915 after sailing Into Suez  on 7.2.1915 "Seeing what we did in the 2 days going through the canal, makes one realise what the organisation of an army means, for this was a vary small Section of it, yet there must be something like 100,000 men on and near the canal; and even if the Turks never make a determined attempt on Egypt, they are doing good work for their side in keeping the above army from taking part in the  more strenuous work at the front." He carried out training work in England until he was transferred to Egypt and attached to the Australian Mounted Forces. He-was in the 3rd Light Horse Brigade. In  1916 he wrote to the Headmaster from near Egypt while he was acting as Brigade Major and "was anxious in his enquiries concerning the School". In January 1917 he wrote "We have taken part lately  in two very successful little affairs, resulting in capture of 1,200 and 1,600 prisoners respectively, with four guns, a number of Maxims, etc. each time. These cannot be carried out without loss, but  everyone seems more than willing to take the risk, there-being awful lamentations from those left behind. We are all in wonderful heart and spirits and many of us never fitter in our lives". Shortly after that received the Military Cross and was then severely wounded during the advance in Palestine. He resumed duty as G.S.O. (General Staff Officer) of the Anzac Mounted Division. He was in hospital for some weeks and then granted leave in order to recuperate in Australia. His wife and 2 daughters accompanied him on the ship back to Melbourne. On arrival in it became necessary to him to a hospital, where he passed away aged 36.

Died: H.S. Gullet in the Official History of Australia in the War (Vol.7 p.326) tells how he received the wounds on 19.4.1917 from which he died. During the Second Gaza Engagement in Palestine "a  bomb, dropped on the Headquarters of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, severely wounded C.C. Dangar the brigade-major. Dangar was a member of a well-known Australian Pastoral family in New South  Wales, who had for many years held a commission in the 13th Hussars. A capable Officer, he served on the general staff with the light horse men for more two years when he was invalided to Australia, and died as the ship reached Melbourne”.

Obituary: "He always remembered his old School, and took an interest in its cricket. So great an interest did he take, that when he purchased “Gostwyck” he arranged for an annual cricket match to  take there. When he enlisted he left instructions to the manager to continue the custom.”

Memorial - The School Board resolved on 11.9.1918 "In view of the fact of the service for his country the late Major C.C. Dangar had performed, also that he was Vice-President of the Board of  Directors and the first old boy on the Directorate, that an enlarged photo of him be hung in the School dining hall." This photo now hangs In the entrance to Danger House. His widow's donations  enabled C.C. Dangar Memorial House for Juniors to be built. She laid the foundation stone for it on 8.2.1924 and It was opened on 21.9.1924 by the Governor of N.S.W. Sir Dudley de Chair. The  furniture for it was donated by Mrs AA. Danger, Miss Maude Dangar and Messrs A.A. & N.N. Dangar. The Church of All Saints at Gostwyck, known as Gostwyck Chapel, is in his memory. The foundation  stone for it was laid on 22.4.1921. His name is on the School Honour Roll for service in Africa and is in the Armidale Library.