

Tauranga man Harold Clark received a leg wound whilst serving as a private during World War I (1914-1915). Over the rest of his life bullets and shot continued to work their way out of his leg. He kept all the shot pellets from his leg wound in a jar that eventually became half full. The information in this article was compiled with the help of his relative, Lisa Clark.
Harold Clark was born at Edgcumbe Road in Tauranga, on 21 June 1884 (reg. 1884/15049). His parents were John Angus and Elizabeth Ann Clark (nee Brownlie) who married in the Old Mission Chapel in Tauranga on 19 October 1875. They were married by the Rev Cannon Jordan.
Harold worked as a Butcher before he enlisted at Waipawa in Napier for World War I. He left Wellington with the Wellington Infantry Battalion (2nd Reinforcements) on 14 December 1914 for Suez, Egypt. He gave his birth date on his enlistment as 21 June 1881.
His brother, Leslie Harvey Clark was killed on 8 August 1915 at Sari Bair Heights in Gallipoli, Turkey.
On 18 April 1916 he was appointed as a baker.
Harold received a leg wound whilst serving, being admitted to hospital on 21 February 1918. Over the rest of his life bullets and shot continued to work their way out of his leg. He kept all the shot pellets from his leg wound in a jar that eventually became half full.
He died in Auckland, aged 78, on 22 May 1963 and was buried at Waikumete Cemetery on 27 May 1963 (SOLDIERS ASH BURIAL K Row 1a, Plot 188).
Sources:
Cenotaph Record (Auckland War Memorial Museum) - another Service Number given: 10/1209.
Military personnel file (Archives New Zealand).
Waikumete Cemetery Records Online.
Year: | 1918 |
Note: | Service Number: 5/1209a |
First Names: | Harold |
Last Name: | Clark |
Date of Birth: | 21 June 1884 |
Place of Birth: | Tauranga |
Country of birth: | New Zealand |
Date of death: | 22 May 1963 |
Place of death: | Auckland |
Place of burial: | Waikumete Cemetery, Auckland |
Occupation: | Butcher |
Fathers name: | John Angus Clark |
Fathers date of birth: | 29 March 1847 |
Fathers place of birth: | Hobart Town, Tasmania, Australia |
Fathers date of death: | 12 May 1912 |
Fathers place of death: | Tauranga, New Zealand |
Mothers name: | Elizabeth Anne Brownlie |
Mothers date of birth: | 12 September 1852 |
Mothers place of birth: | Lawrence, Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA |
Mothers date of death: | 6 February 1933 |
Mothers place of death: | Tauranga, New Zealand |
Military Service: | World War I (1914-1918) |