Remembrance Able Seaman Thomas Welsby Clark

[morris]

Unknown sailor finally named after 80 years

The only body recovered after the sinking of warship HMAS Sydney II has now been identified.

www.canberratimes.com.au

Able Seaman Thomas Welsby Clark from New Farm in Brisbane was the only soldier whose body was recovered after the ship sunk off the West Australian coast on November 19, 1941.
AB Clark is believed to be the only sailor from 645 men to have made it to a life raft after the ship went down.

Despite surviving the battle and the sinking, the 21-year-old died at sea. His remains were found near Rocky Point on Christmas Island nearly three months later.
New DNA evidence collected from his body has successfully identified two living direct relatives.

 

[morris]

Able Seaman Thomas Welsby Clark and the Australian warship HMAS Sydney (II) sunk off the West Australian coast. Pictures: Department of Defence.

Service number	S/4449
Rank	Able Seaman
Unit	HMAS Sydney (II)
Service	Royal Australian Navy
Conflict/Operation	Second World War, 1939-1945
Conflict Eligibility Date	Second World War, 1939-1947
Date of Death	20 November 1941
Place of Death	Indian Ocean
Cause of Death	Killed in action
Cemetery or Memorial Details	Plymouth Naval Memorial, Plymouth, Devon, England, United Kingdom
Source	AWM146 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Royal Australian Navy

Thomas Welsby Clark's name will be projected onto the exterior of the Hall of Memory on: Thu 20 January 2022 at 11:20pm