Gerald B. Clarke

Gerald Bryan Clarke, born in Gwelo, on November 1 1909, the son of Francis Joseph Clarke and Margaret Shiel. He was the principal secretary^[1] to the Rhodesian Cabinet (under Prime Minister Ian Smith) throughout the existence of the Rhodesian Front Government (1964–1979). A close confidant of Prime Minister Smith, Clarke attended virtually every conference and Heads-of-Governments meetings that Smith attended throughout his tenure.

Clarke organized and ran the sub-committee that drew up the Unilateral Declaration of Independence, which Smith and his cabinet signed on November 11, 1965. Thus he is regarded as the architect of the UDI.

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