Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War O.B.E. group of seven awarded to Chief Engineer Officer C. W. Clark, Merchant Navy, killed in action on 22 March 1942 whilst serving on S.S. Thursobank

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals (Charles W. Clark); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed, mounted for wear, generally extremely fine (7) £300-360

O.B.E. (Civil Division) London Gazette 1 January 1942. ‘Charles William Clark, Esq., Chief Engineer, Merchant Navy’.

Charles William Clark was born in Aberdeen on 30 April 1895. He served in the Merchant Navy during the Great War. He is possibly the same Charles William Clarke (sic) who was commissioned a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army in January 1930 - he served in the 50th (Northumbrian Company) R.A.O.C.

In the Second World War, Clark was awarded the O.B.E. in the New Years Honours of 1942 as Chief Engineer on the cargo ship S.S. Thursobank. He was still on board her when she was torpedoed and sunk by the U-373 in the North Atlantic on 22 March 1942. The ship was en-route from New York to Alexandria via the Cape. Twenty-three of her crew and seven gunners were killed in the attack - including Chief Engineer Clark.

With an original commission document to Charles William Clarke (sic); copied gazette extracts and other copied research.