George Puleston Clarke
George Puleston Clarke (c1889-1930)
1930 Obituary [1]
GEORGE PULESTON CLARKE was born and educated at Devonport, and entered the Royal Naval Engineering College in 1904.
In 1910 he joined the Royal Canadian Navy as engineer sub-lieutenant on H.M.C.S. " Niobe," but came to England for further training in 1911, and was then appointed to H.M.S. " Lord Nelson."
From 1912 to 1915 he was senior watchkeeper of H.M.S. " Monarch," and was further promoted as senior engineer with Eng. Commr. F. G. Haddy, M.V.O., and saw service during the chase of the German raider " Moewe " off the West Coast of Africa.
During 1917 he was overseer in connexion with the building of the light cruiser " Coventry " at Newcastle; he served in this ship later in the Harwich force under the command of Admiral Tyrwhitt, and took part in the Zeebrugge operations.
In 1919, when still engineer-lieutenant, he was specially selected as senior engineer of the Fleet Flagship, the " Queen Elizabeth," under the command of Admiral Sir Charles Madden.
In 1920 he was recalled to Canada as officer in charge of Esquimalt dockyard. During 1924-1927 he served on H.M.C.S. " Patriot " and " Patrician," and was appointed for duty in Ottawa.
The Canadian Government then decided to send Commander Clarke to Messrs. John I. Thornycroft's Works at Woolston as Canadian overseer on the construction of the two destroyers " Saguenay " and " Skeena," and it was while thus engaged that he became ill and died on 17th February 1930, at the early age of 41.
He became a Graduate of the Institution in 1908 and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1914.