James Clarke (VC)

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James Clarke VC (6 April 1894–10 June 1947) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 24 years old, and a sergeant in the 15th Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 2 November 1918 at Happegarbes, France, when Sergeant Clarke's platoon was held up by heavy machine-gun fire, he rushed forward through a strongly-held ridge, capturing in succession four machine-guns and killing the crews. Later, with the remnants of his platoon he captured three more machine-guns and many prisoners and when his platoon was again held up he successfully led a tank against the enemy guns. Throughout the whole of these operations Sergeant Clarke acted with great bravery and total disregard of personal safety.

[edit] References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)

[edit] External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Lancashire)