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S/57286
Private (Driver)
Geoffrey Clarke
(Known as Geoff)
1918/12/29 - Born Handsworth, Staffordshire
Geoff was brought up by his grandparents on his mother’s side of the family until 1931, when both of them had died. He then went to live with his parents for a while before finding a job at the Rembrandt Hotel Knightsbridge London as a bell boy.
Geoff is back row far left
Rembrandt Hotel Bell Boys
Later, as he had grown, he worked in the kitchens.
After his mother died, Geoff decided to enlist in the Army.
Royal Army Service Corps
12 Company
Service
1938/09/01 - Sailed from Britain in the HMT Lancashire to Hong Kong.
A Few Days After Geoff sent this letter, his Father died in a road accident.
Geoff’s brother Ron, wrote to tell Geoff of their father’s death.
Geoff Clarke is on the Front Row Far Left Wearing A Hat.
It Says On The Back - D. I. S. Staff Supply Depot.
Landon Squad Football Team - Geoff is the Goalkeeper
Taken in Hong Kong Between Late 1938 And The Invasion December 1941.
The Japanese positioned themselves in forward positions by 7th December 1941, to outflank the defensive positions of Hong Kong.
On the 9th December Japan had entered the war by attacking Pearl Harbour and Malaya and they outflanked the Hong Kong defences.
With battle hardened troops Hong Kong stood little chance against the Japanese and surrendered Christmas Day 1941.
1942/01/14 - WO 417/36, Casualty List No. 720. Reported ‘Missing’.
1942/07/06 - WO417/45, Casualty List No.868. Previously shown on Casualty List No.720 as Missing, 25/12/1941. Now reported a ‘Prisoner of War’.
Japanese PoW
1941/12/25 - Captured Hong Kong
Shinagawa Camp
PoW No. 2598 (198)
Japanese Index card - Side One
Japanese Index Card - Side Two
1942/09/04 - Transported from Hong Kong in First Draft to Japan
This Draft were labelled by the Japanese as the hard men who would not sign the ‘No Escape’ document
1942/09/15 Arrived Tokyo Main Camp, Omori, Japan
PoW No. 300
1942/09/10 - Reported sick
Cause of death Blood Poisoning.
Died at Tokyo No.2 Military Hospital.
Died
1942/09/17 and Cremated
Tokyo City, Setagaya Ward, Taishido Town,
Tokyo 2nd Land Forces Hospital
1945/09/20 - Ashes were handed over to LT. James Bryan of the Quartermaster Corps of US. 8th Army at Tokyo POW Camp Main Branch.
To be buried at Yokohama Cemetery
The CWGC have Geoffrey’s death as 1942/10/29 and surname spelt ‘Clarke’
Memorial
Brit. Sec. E. A. 13.
Yokohama Cemetery
Japan
1946/07/06 - WO417/101, Casualty List No.1979. Previously shown on Casualty List No.868 as Prisoner of War, Hong Kong. Now reported ‘Died’.
Information
Anthony Stephen Clarke - Uncle
Tan DingXiang - Translated Japanese Index Card
Tony Banham Books:-
‘Not the Slightest Chance’
‘The Sinking of the Lisbon Maru’
‘We Shall Suffer There’
Commonwealth War Graves Commision
KEW Files:- WO 392/23, WO 361/1970, WO 345/10,
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