Soldier Record

John Clark lied about his age to enlist in late 1914 along with his best friend Peter Docherty. Both joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers but were sent to different batallions. Peter Docherty was sent to Gallipoli and was killed in action 2 days before the withdrawal. My grandfather John Clark was taken prisoner after being the subject of a gas attack near Ypres on or about the 15th April 1915. I was told by an uncle that he was one of only three men taken alive from the trench. He spent the rest of the war as a POW in a camp near the town of Stendal N.E of Berlin. I have a selection of photos from the camp of him and other soldiers of different nationalities (Russian and French) which may be of interest to others. My grandfathers health was poor although I don't know if this was due to the gas attack or the rest of his life being spent as a shipyard worker in the Port Glasgow shipyards. He died under anaesthetic having his teeth removed at the dentist during the early 1960's so I think his heart was gone by this time. He also took in and raised the son of his friend Peter Docherty despite having four children of his own - not an easy thing to so in the 1920's and 30's but I guess it was the right thing to do.