Lot Essay
Chief Mechanic William Fred Clarke was born in Massachusetts, U.S.A. in March 1886 and joined the Royal Naval Air Service as an Air Mechanic (Carpenter) in February 1916. Gaining rapid promotion to Petty Officer Mechanic, he served in France from June 1917, transferred to the Royal Air Force in April 1918 and was Mentioned in Despatches on 3.6.1919 (London Gazette refers). He was demobbed with the rank of Chief Mechanic.