Mercantile Marine War Medal : J C Clark, Merchant Marine

Mercantile Marine War Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

James Colin Clark was born at Liverpool, England in 1901. He served in the British Mercantile Marine during the First World War and emigrated to Australia in 1926. Clark served in the militia with the Australian Army Pay Corps (AAPC) with the service number N76426, and enlisted in the Second AIF on 29 March 1941, where he was immediately promoted to acting sergeant. Remaining in the AAPC, he embarked for Palestine on 11 April to join 8 Division.

Clark returned to Sydney from the Middle East on 15 August 1941, and embarked for Singapore on 17 September 1941, being promoted to the substantive rank of corporal on the same day. He arrived in Singapore the following month, joining 8 Division's Command Pay Office.

Clark was in Singapore when the city fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, and was taken prisoner. He was initially held at Changi, and then became one of more than 2000 allied prisoners of war sent to construct an airstrip at Sandakan in Borneo. He arrived at Sandakan Harbour on board the freighter Ubi Maru on 18 July 1942 as a member of 'B' Force. Clark died of disease and malnutrition on 15 April 1945; he has no known grave. His name is recorded on Panel 20 of the Labuan Memorial.

Of the more than 2000 allied prisoners of war sent to Sandakan, only six survived.