Clark, Charles Bruce

Charles Bruce Clark was born on 15 September 1880 in Edmonton, Middlesex, England.  His parents were Charles Clark (a builder) and Isabel Chalmers. He had a least one brother, William, who was born in 1882. According to his obituary, Charles was educated in Dundee, Scotland and immigrated to Canada in 1908.

Charles’ mother Isabel had a nursemaid and companion named Matilda Coombs. After Isabel’s death and at her request, Matilda went to Canada to ‘look for Charlie’.  She found him in Winnipeg, Manitoba and on the 18th of September 1913 they married at Paterson’s house in Norman (a suburb of Kenora, Ontario). The couple returned to Winnipeg where they were found living on Bannerman Avenue in the 1916 Census.  Charles was working as a carpenter. Two sons, Charles William (1915-1998) and John Edward (b. 1916) and one daughter, Isabel Mary (1918-2008) were born in Winnipeg.

On 20 September 1916 Charles enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps in Winnipeg, arriving in Toronto a few days later. He was transferred to the Royal Air Force on 01 April 1918 and served in Canada as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class until his discharge (due to being surplus to RAF requirements) on 08 January 1919.

In 1918 the Clark family moved back to Norman and then to Keewatin in 1920. Three more children were born: William Alexander (1920-2001), James Stewart (1921-1988) and Donald Bruce (1923-1999). Charles worked at the paper mill in Kenora and then as a millwright in the flour mill in Keewatin. He retired in 1946.

The Clark family lived in the ‘red house’ on First West Bay in Keewatin in the late 1920’s. Here Charles built an ice box and two rowboats named Nobby 1 and Nobby 2 which were almost impossible to tip over. The family also lived in a house on 10th St. Keewatin by the ball park, a house on Lyndale Avenue and finally in a house on Station Hill. Matilda was known as a tea cup reader. Charles loved to read paperback westerns.

All six children of Charles and Matilda were in service in WW2. Charles Jr. was in the army; John served with the 17th Field Regiment overseas; Bill was also overseas with the army; Jim was a motorcycle messenger and served overseas; Don was in the Navy; Isabel was in the Air Force.

Charles moved to Pinecrest Home in 1959 and passed away on 02 August 1960. He is buried in Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora. Matilda died on 23 February 1975 and is interred beside Charles.

 

« Back To Soldier Biographies