William Terence Montague Clark, DFM, AE (11 April 1919 – 7 May 2020) was a British nightfighter navigator/radar operator in the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1938 to 1945. He, along with John Hemingway, was one of the last two verified surviving aircrew of the Battle of Britain.[1][2][3]
William Clark | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | William Terence Montague Clark |
| Nickname(s) | "Terry" |
| Born | 11 April 1919 Croydon, Surrey, England |
| Died | 7 May 2020 (aged 101) York, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1938–1945 |
| Rank | Flight lieutenant |
| Service number | 819004, later 126026 |
| Unit | No. 219 Squadron RAF |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Medal Air Efficiency Award |
Clark enlisted in the Auxiliary Air Force in 1938 joining No. 615 Squadron at Kenley in March 1938 as an aircrafthand, then trained to be an aircraft gunner in Hawker Hectors on Army cooperation duties.[3]
He joined No. 219 Squadron, then flying Bristol Blenheims,[4] at Catterick on 12 July 1940, later training on radar as a radio observer, flying in Bristol Beaufighters.[3]
On the night of 16/17 April 1941 Clark flew with the commanding officer of 219 Squadron, Wing Commander T.G. Pike, when Pike's own navigator was taken ill. They intercepted and destroyed a Junkers Ju 88 and a Heinkel He 111 in the Guildford area.[citation needed]
During the night of 27/28 April 1941, flying with Flying Officer D.O. Hobbis, his regular pilot, Clark assisted in the destruction of an unidentified enemy aircraft, on each of 1/2 June and 13/14 June 1941 they shot down a Heinkel He 111.[citation needed]
Clark was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, which was gazetted on 8 July 1941.[5] Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in May 1942, Clark had reached the rank of Flight Lieutenant by the end of the war.[6][7] Post war Clark joined the reconstituted Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) in 1949 serving in the Fighter and Aircraft Control Branches before resigning his commission in 1954.[8][9]
Clark died on 7 May 2020 at the age of 101, leaving John Hemingway as the last surviving member of The Few.[10]
References
edit- ^ "One of the last surviving pilots of 'The Few' who fought during Battle of Britain dies, aged 101". The Independent. 9 December 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ "Sgt. W T Clark". Battle of Britain London Monument. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- ^ a b c "Battle of Britain veteran Terry Clark dies aged 101". BBC News. 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
- ^ Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. p. 72. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- ^ "No. 35213". The London Gazette. 8 July 1941. p. 3925.
- ^ "No. 35654". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 July 1942. p. 3412.
- ^ "No. 36554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 1944. p. 2749.
- ^ "No. 38833". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 February 1950. p. 659.
- ^ "No. 40335". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 December 1954. p. 7221.
- ^ "Flight Lieutenant William Terence Clark DFM (11th April 1919-7th May 2020)". Kenley Revival. Retrieved 8 May 2020.