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22/06/1882 - 22/01/1920

Place of birth: Beckenham, Kent
Last known address in Bromley: 38 Shortlands Road

Military information

Regiment/Service: Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Battalion/Ship: 5th Bn
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Number: Unknown
Awards: Mentioned in Dispatches

Family information

Parents: Charles Douglas & Emily Mary Clark (nee Gieve)
Parents' occupation: Stock dealer
Siblings: Alfred Nowell William
Wife: Maude Ethel Grahame Shaw
Marriage date: 19-07-1906
Children: John Grahame Douglas, Philip Alfred Hugh

Census information

1891
Address: 88 Croydon Road, Beckenham
1901
Address: Eccleshill, Hayes Lane
1911
Address: Archray, 38 Shortlands Road, Shortlands
Occupation: Stock Exchange dealer

Extra details

Charles was the eldest of Charles and Emily Clark's two sons. He was educated at the Abbey School, Beckenham before going to Tonbridge (1897-99). After school he joined his father's company, C Douglas Clark & Sons, later becoming a director.

Entering Tonbridge in May 1897, he was in the Corps and was in the Shooting VIII of 1898. He left at Easter 1899 and having taken a commission in 1900 in the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (before the Territorial Force came into being) he had proved himself throughout a most energetic and able officer. He also took the greatest interest in the sport of his men and was himself a keen member of the football team. His promotion was rapid and in 1905 he was appointed to the command of the Bromley Detachment. He recognised the importance of the annual training camps and it was while he was at Borden Camp, Hampshire, in 1914 that war was declared. His Battalion was recalled to Bromley and mobilised for war service, then moving to Sandwich for further training.

Charles, promoted to Major on 9th August 1912, sailed for India on 1st December 1914, as second in command of the 1/5th Battalion. They were on garrison duty for nearly three years in Jubbulpore before embarking for Mesopotamia on 5th December 1917, arriving in Basra on 11th. Here they served for two years in the 54th Infantry Brigade in the 18th Division. Charles was in command of the Battalion with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel from 2nd May to 19th September 1918, and again from 10th January 1919 until his death, and was Mentioned in Lieutenant General W. R. Marshall's Despatch dated 7th February 1919.

The Brigade took part in the operations on the Tigris and the advance to Mosul. The Battalion remained with the Army of Occupation at Mosul until they received orders for home in November 1919. They left Mosul on 27th November and after spending Christmas at Basra, on their way to Bombay, embarked for home on the Melita on 2nd January 1920.

Charles' health had suffered as the result of hardships and illness in Mesopotamia, having had an attack of influenza, followed almost immediately by sandfly fever. Severe influenza broke out on the Melita before they reached Aden. It was only after leaving Gibraltar that Charles became ill, his condition became rapidly very serious and he died shortly after the boat anchored off Plymouth on 22nd January 1920.

Charles had married Maud Ethel Grahame Shaw on 19th July 1906, they had two sons.

Thank you to Tonbridge School for their assistance.