Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A C.B., C.M.G. group of eight to Colonel J.A.M.A. Clark, Royal Marines

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, enamel damage; Queen’s South Africa, 3 clasps, Natal, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Capt., R.M.L.I.); King’s South Africa, 2 clasps (Capt., Rl. Dub. Fus); 1914-15 Star (Maj., R.M.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Maj.,R.M.); France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1917, medals mounted for display, Q.S.A. & K.S.A. with minor contact marks, very fine and better (8) £1800-2000

Joseph Arthur Myles Ariel Clark was born in Clifton, Bristol on 8 September 1872. He was gazetted a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Marines on 1 September 1892 and promoted Lieutenant on 1 July 1893. Appointed Assistant Instructor of Musketry, 1898-1900, he was promoted Captain on 1 February 1900 and was lent to the War Office for special service in South Africa. There he commanded a company of the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, April 1900 - 11 January 1901. Clark was present at the bombardment of General Clery’s Camp, 13 April 1900; the relief of Wepener; operations at Warrenton and Fourteen Streams under General Hunter and the surprise and capture of Potchefstroom by General Hart in September 1900. He served on the Staff of the Rand Rifles, 1901-02 and was adjutant to the commanding officer of the Elandsfontein Battalion. During the next few years Clark served for several periods in the Mediterranean, English Channel, Home Fleet and West Indies. He attended the Swiss Army Manoeuvres of 1907 and received the thanks of the Chief of the General Staff for his report. Clark was promoted Major on 1 February 1911. In 1914 whilst serving aboard H.M.S. Hermione, he received an expression of their Lordships satisfaction at the manner in which he carried out his duties on the coast of Mexico in relation to a raid into southern Mexico, Guatemala and British Honduras instigated by Mexican General Brito.

On the outbreak of the Great War, he was appointed to the old battleship H.M.S. Mars stationed in Home Waters. In February 1915 he was appointed to the Portsmouth Battalion, R.M. Brigade, Royal Naval Division, which he accompanied to Gallipoli. He landed on the peninsula on 28 April 1915 and took part in various operations until wounded on 13 July of that year, whilst leading a charge near the Monash Valley. Invalided to England, for his services with the R.N. Division he received the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel and was mentioned in despatches.

During April- May 1916 he served with the R.M. Battalion combating the Irish Rebellion, commanding troops in Galway during the Easter Rising and responsible for rounding up some 300 of the rebels. In November 1916 he joined the 3rd Royal Marines Battalion garrisoning in the Aegean Islands and was promoted Acting Lieutenant-Colonel whilst in command on 10 January 1919. At the war’s end he took over command of the Bosporus Forts and in December 1918 he took a R.M. detachment to Sebastopol in order to effect the evacuation of German troops stationed there. For his wartime services he was created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (London Gazette 30 May 1919); was three times mentioned in despatches (London Gazette ) and awarded the French Croix de Guerre (London Gazette 30 October 1917). In February 1919 he returned to England to take up the appointment of Drafting Officer at Portsmouth. Promoted Lieutenant-Colonel on 1 July 1920, he assumed command of the 11th Royal Marine Battalion the following year, taking the battalion to Constantinople during 1922-23. For his services in Turkey his name was brought to the attention of the Secretary of State for War by General Sir Charles Harrington. He was appointed Colonel 2nd Commandant on 1 January 1923 and susequently created a Companion of the Order of the Bath (London Gazette 3 June 1925). He was placed on the Half Pay List at his own request on 9 February 1927. He died on 5 December 1935. Sold with a quantity of copied research.