Individual Report: C97586 Charles CLARK

Rank:	First Name:	Second Name:
General Information
Sergeant	Charles	Albert
From:	Enlistment Region:	Date of Birth (y-m-d):
Toronto ON	Eastern Ontario	1898-03-27
Appointment:	Company:	Platoon:
NCO in charge	Brigade Headquarters

Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong

Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.

The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.

All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.

Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.

On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.

Battle Information

We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).

Wounded Information

Date Wounded	Wound Description	References
41/12/20	ammunition shrapnel to the face and hands	127

Hospital Information

Name of hospital	Date of admission	Date of discharge	Comments	Reference
HK-WMH	12/25/1941	N/A

POW Camps

Camp ID	Camp Name	Location	Company	Type of Work	Arrival Date	Departure Date
HK-SA-02	Shamshuipo	Kowloon, Hong Kong			42 Sep 26	43 Jan 19
JP-To-3D	Tsurumi	Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan	Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards	Variety of jobs related to ship building	43 Jan 19	45 May 13
JP-To-3D	Tsurumi	Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan	Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards	Variety of jobs related to ship building	43 Jan 19	45 May 13
JP-Se-1B	Yumoto	Fukushima-ken, Iwaki-gun, Yumoto-cho, Mizunoya, Japan	Joban Coal Mining Company		45 May 13	45 Sep 15

Transport to Japan

Draft Number	Name of Ship	Departure Date	Arrival Date	Arrival Port	Comments	Reference
XD3A	Tatuta Maru	43 Jan 19, left Shamsuipo Camp, 0500 hrs; left Hong Kong 1300hrs	43 Jan 22, 0400 hrs	Nagasaki, Japan	Boarded train, arrived in Tokyo on 43 Jan 24 at 0700 hrs, boarded electric train for 10 mile ride to camp	Tony Banham

Transportation SE Asia to Home

Transport Mode	Arrival Destination	Arrival Date	Comments
NATS 50848	Oakland	1945-09-20

No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.

Post-war Photo

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Decorations Received

Image	Name of Award	Abbreviation	References	Precedence	Comments
	Distinguished Conduct Medal	DCM	39, 40, 124	07
DCM Citation Canada Gazette dated 15 June 1946 (No. 24, Vol. 80, p.3849) and CARO/6632 dated 17 June 1946. Staff-Sergeant Clark of the Canadian Postal Corps was at Headquarters of "C" Force at Hong Kong where he displayed a high standard of courage and devotion to duty when a building in which he was quartered received a direct hit from a heavy shell. One of his officers was killed, and Colonel Patrick Hennessy, DSO, MC, second-in-command of "C" Force, mortally wounded. With the assistance of another Non-Commissioned Officer, Staff-Sergeant Clark applied tourniquets to Colonel Hennesy's legs, placed him on a door and carried him to a spot under an iron staircase for safety. Staff-Sergeant Clark went for help, to get which he had to pass a blazing building containing 300,000 rounds of small arms ammunition which was exploding. The danger from flying bullets and enemy shells did not deter Staff-Sergeant Clark who crept through this barrage and reached the Mount Austin Barracks where an ambulance was sent for. Staff-Sergeant Clark returned under the same dangerous conditions to Colonel Hennessy with the Medical Officer who treated him and then Staff-Sergeant Clark assisted in carrying Colonel Hennessy on a stretcher over very rough ground while under fire to the ambulance and accompanied him to the hospital. Following his capture at Hong Kong in December 1941 he was interned first at Hong Kong and later transported to Japan where he worked in the Nippon-Kokan shipyard in the Yokohama-Tokyo area. In connection with Staff-Sergeant Clark, Commander Edward V. Dockweiler of the United States Navy writes: "About 2000 hours, 20 January 1944, a large fire broke out in this yard, completely destroying the steel shed, ship outfitting stores, prisoner of war mess hall, riggers lobby, tool rooms, part of the ship fitters shop and mold loft. The area occupied by these buildings was about 800 by 600 feet. I would estimate the damage caused by this fire at about three-quarters to one million dollars. Aside from the monetary damage accomplished, the production of this yard was reduced about 60 percent for a period of at least eight months. At this time the yard was engaged in building escort destroyers and merchant shipping. Its tonnage production was about 8,000 tons a month. Considerable repair work also was being undertaken at this time. This fire was started by Staff-Sergeant Clark, Canadian Postal Corps, and Private K.S. Cameron, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps. The method used was a candle, the bottom of which was surrounded with celluloid shavings accumulated from soap boxes. The length of the candled determined the time of firing. This incendiary medium was placed behind some rubbish in one of the little used and inspected store rooms. The Japanese authorities made a very thorough investigation of the damage caused by the above mentioned fire, but were unable to determine its cause or the part played by these two young men effecting it. If the part that Sergeant Clark and Private Cameron played in this sabotage had been discovered, undoubtedly they would have been executed or tortured to death. This act of sabotage greatly crippled the production of this yard and directly minimized the Japanese war effort, and the contribution to the Allied war effort that these two men made under the handicap of being prisoners of war cannot be overestimated. The occurrence of this fire is part of my official report to my own Navy Department. I submit this report to your office with the recommendation that this act of Sergeant Clark and Private Cameron be properly recognized and adequately rewarded. Their conduct as prisoners of war while under my jurisdiction was exemplary and fulfilled the highest tradition of the Canadian Army".

Image

Name of Award

Abbreviation

References

Precedence

Comments

Distinguished Conduct Medal

DCM

39, 40, 124

DCM Citation

Canada Gazette dated 15 June 1946 (No. 24, Vol. 80, p.3849) and CARO/6632 dated 17 June 1946. Staff-Sergeant Clark of the Canadian Postal Corps was at Headquarters of "C" Force at Hong Kong where he displayed a high standard of courage and devotion to duty when a building in which he was quartered received a direct hit from a heavy shell. One of his officers was killed, and Colonel Patrick Hennessy, DSO, MC, second-in-command of "C" Force, mortally wounded. With the assistance of another Non-Commissioned Officer, Staff-Sergeant Clark applied tourniquets to Colonel Hennesy's legs, placed him on a door and carried him to a spot under an iron staircase for safety. Staff-Sergeant Clark went for help, to get which he had to pass a blazing building containing 300,000 rounds of small arms ammunition which was exploding. The danger from flying bullets and enemy shells did not deter Staff-Sergeant Clark who crept through this barrage and reached the Mount Austin Barracks where an ambulance was sent for. Staff-Sergeant Clark returned under the same dangerous conditions to Colonel Hennessy with the Medical Officer who treated him and then Staff-Sergeant Clark assisted in carrying Colonel Hennessy on a stretcher over very rough ground while under fire to the ambulance and accompanied him to the hospital. Following his capture at Hong Kong in December 1941 he was interned first at Hong Kong and later transported to Japan where he worked in the Nippon-Kokan shipyard in the Yokohama-Tokyo area. In connection with Staff-Sergeant Clark, Commander Edward V. Dockweiler of the United States Navy writes: "About 2000 hours, 20 January 1944, a large fire broke out in this yard, completely destroying the steel shed, ship outfitting stores, prisoner of war mess hall, riggers lobby, tool rooms, part of the ship fitters shop and mold loft. The area occupied by these buildings was about 800 by 600 feet. I would estimate the damage caused by this fire at about three-quarters to one million dollars. Aside from the monetary damage accomplished, the production of this yard was reduced about 60 percent for a period of at least eight months. At this time the yard was engaged in building escort destroyers and merchant shipping. Its tonnage production was about 8,000 tons a month. Considerable repair work also was being undertaken at this time. This fire was started by Staff-Sergeant Clark, Canadian Postal Corps, and Private K.S. Cameron, Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps. The method used was a candle, the bottom of which was surrounded with celluloid shavings accumulated from soap boxes. The length of the candled determined the time of firing. This incendiary medium was placed behind some rubbish in one of the little used and inspected store rooms. The Japanese authorities made a very thorough investigation of the damage caused by the above mentioned fire, but were unable to determine its cause or the part played by these two young men effecting it. If the part that Sergeant Clark and Private Cameron played in this sabotage had been discovered, undoubtedly they would have been executed or tortured to death. This act of sabotage greatly crippled the production of this yard and directly minimized the Japanese war effort, and the contribution to the Allied war effort that these two men made under the handicap of being prisoners of war cannot be overestimated. The occurrence of this fire is part of my official report to my own Navy Department. I submit this report to your office with the recommendation that this act of Sergeant Clark and Private Cameron be properly recognized and adequately rewarded. Their conduct as prisoners of war while under my jurisdiction was exemplary and fulfilled the highest tradition of the Canadian Army".

Other Military or Public Service

C97586 CLARK Charles was a veteran of WW1.

Death and Cemetery Information

Date of Death (y-m-d)	Cause of Death	Death Class
1967-01-11		Post War
Cemetery Location	Cemetery	Grave Number	Gravestone Marker
Toronto Ontario Canada	Ashbridge Bay	Cremation

Gravestone Image

Obituary / Life Story

VETERAN OF TWO WARS, Staff Sergt. Charles Albert Clark, Toronto, is awarded the D.C.M. for courageous conduct in sabotage work while a prisoner of the Japs. He is shown with his granddaughter, Sandra; his wife, right, and his daughter, Mrs. W. Black.

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General Comments

Forced By Sting Of Lash To Work Naked In Mine In 120 Degrees Of Heat

(Attribution needed)

Had to Teach Men to Use Borrowed Guns at Hong Kong, Toronto Sergeant States

"Hopelessly outnumbered - un-trained, yes, but the Canadian boys put up a grand fight before the white flag of surrender went up," said Sgt. Charles Clark, 25 Neville Park Blvd., when he arrived home today from Japanese prison camp. He was captured when Hong Kong fell.

Nearly 100 relatives and friends were at the Union Station to meet the popular former postal employe who was head man of the Toronto Post Office Hockey Club of the THL Major series at Varsity Arena. His aged, but extremely active mother, was there, with all her 88 years. His wife and four of his children were there, too. Joan, a sergeant in the CWAC; Mrs. W. Black, whose husband is a sergeant in the Tanks in England; Marguerite, and the youngest child, Charlotte, aged 20. His son, PO. Bill Clark of the RCAF, saw his dad in Western Canada on his way home.

Sgt. Clark was with headquarters, and when the Nips attacked, he had to get his men to man machine guns at important positions in the dock area at Hong Kong.

"I had to teach them to use the weapons," he said. "We had no equipment and we had to borrow them from the British. What, with red tape and having to sign forms in triplicate, it took three days to get the weapons, and then we had to search all over Hong Kong for ammunition."

DIDN'T WANT TO QUIT

Clark paid high tribute to the fighting qualities of the Canadian soldiers, and he said even the Japs were impressed. The Royals and the Grenadiers fought themselves to a standstill, and the Winnipeg Grenadiers went on fighting even after the white flag was put up.

"They didn't want to surrender," he stated. "They figured they would be killed anyhow and wanted to die fighting. When they took us prisoner they told us, through an interpreter, that they had decided to treat us as honorable prisoners because we had fought so well," he added. "They said they never thought they'd take us prisoners and could not believe that there were only four battalions of us."

Clark told of how everybody at headquarters, postal men and pay corps personnel, did their stuff with the rest. "We were to hold out until disarmed," he said, who added that be saw Brig. Lawson personally lead a bayonet charge and go down with it.

WORKED UNDER LASH

Like many other prisoners, Clark was treated badly. "We were the coal mine gang, and we worked under the lash in 120 degrees of heat, stripped naked," Clark declared. "The Nips were cruel and arrogant while they had the upper hand, but the atomic bomb changed all that. From then on they were nothing but nasty, snivelling babies."

"I weighed 165 pounds when I was captured, and when the war ended I weighed 118. The atomic bomb saved our lives, for we couldn't have gone on much longer. When we heard that the Japs had surrendered unconditionally, we disarmed our guards, and you should have seen the difference in them - bowing and scraping.

"Our camp was one of the hidden camps, and we perhaps would have been hidden yet had it not been for a carrier plane from the SS Lexington spotting us one day. They dropped us food, and then reported our position to Tokio. Then the B29s came over and dropped us tons of food, and was it good. Up to the time just prior to the dropping of the atomic bomb, the Japs were about as brutal as they could be. Then came the news of the bomb and the radio speech of the Emperor. That did it. They deflated like a pricked balloon."

Clark related that after leaving the camp, they travelled around the country unarmed with the Nips bowing and almost kissing them.

DIRTY FIGHTERS

Arriving with Clark was his buddy, Sgt. Robert Stager of Ayr. He had been with the Pay Corps and fought at Clark's side. Stager said they smuggled things in their jackets and down the front of their pants. "If you got caught you got slapped. They never use their fists, only the palms of their hands and their feet. They're dirty fighters."

Stager worked at the docks. "It was hard work but better than staying in prison. We did not dare escape, though all we had to do was walk away. At camp we were divided into groups of ten. We were told that if one attempted to escape the other nine would be shot. Just once nine innocent men were shot and no more attempts to escape were made."

"They are funny people, the Japs," he continued. "While we were working we were not allowed to smoke. If we were caught we were badly slapped around. The same Jap officer would give us a packet of cigarettes when we got back to camp."

LAUD RED CROSS

Clark and Stager asked the reporters to tell of the wonderful work the American Red Cross did for the Canadian prisoners. "From the beach at Tokio all the way to Vancouver they treated us wonderfully. We had a nurse with us all the way. And the United States Navy stayed with us, too. They sure did a wonderful job for us, and we can never thank them enough."

"What are you planning to do," The Telegram asked Clark. "I haven't much to say in the matter," he replied. "My wife says she has bought a good strong chain and is going to chain me up so that I can't get away again."

Clark is 49 years and a veteran of World War I.

End of Report.

Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.

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Additional Notes

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