Quievrain Communal Cemetery, 1st Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, Killed in Action 1914

This cemetery contains 43 Commonwealth burials (8 from the UK and 35 from Canada) +2 French.

In 1914 the Belgian Red Cross established a hospital at Quievrain, later taken over by the Germans, and the Communal Cemetery in the village was used by the Germans for the burial of British prisoners. In November 1918, a British plot was formed in the North-East corner of the cemetery, and the existing British graves transferred to it.

The Cemetery contains 1 soldier of the Cheshire Regiment who died presumably of wounds received defending the villages of Elouges and Audregnies during the BEF's 'Retreat from Mons' on 24 August 1914.

Private 7432 John CLARKE
	Date of Death:	2 September 1914 (Died in Hospital)
	Grave No:	A.36
	Unit:	'D' Company
	Age:	27
	Personal History:
	John was born at Sydney, Crewe, Cheshire, in June 1885, the son of William H. (Labourer) and Esther Clarke of Birkenhead. He had an older brother, George, and 4 younger siblings, Annie, Jessie, Charley and Lucy. (1901 Census RG 13/3318) At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a Farm Labourer. He was 5' 4¾" tall (1.64 m.), weighed 112 lbs. (8 st. 0lbs.) had a 'fresh' complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His religion was Church of England. John married Maud Wright at St Nicholas Church, Liverpool on 1st December 1912. (Maud re-married Charles Tierney at Birkenhead, Cheshire, in the March quarter 1915 - less than 6 months after John's death - and were living at 4 Austin St., Birkenhead at the time of the compilation of the CWGC records.) At the time of his death his next of kin were given as George and Harry (brothers) and Maggie (sister). George Clarke was also serving with the 1st Battalion, the Cheshire Regiment.
	Military History:
	John enlisted at Birkenhead, Cheshire on 26th February 1904, aged 18 years and 8 months. His original service was 3 + 7 (i.e. 3 years active service + 7 years reserve). He was posted to the 1st Battalion on 12th November 1907. However, he extended his service with the Colours for a further 5 years and was transferred to the Reserve List on 25th February 1912. As a reservist he was recalled to the 1st Battalion at the outbreak of War and his Medal Index Card shows that he entered France 16th August 1914. He was wounded on 24th August during the Battalion's action at Audregnies, taken prisoner and died in Hospital at Quievrain on 2nd September 1914. (The Hospital at Quievrain had been established by the Belgian Red Cross and was later taken over by the Germans.)