Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An M.V.O. group of three awarded to Colonel C. C. Clarke, Royal Marine Light Infantry

The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O., Member’s 4th Class breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, reverse officially numbered, ‘34’; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (Lieut. C. Clarke, R.M.L.I.); Khedive’s Star 1882, unnamed, mounted as worn, in (damaged) fitted Collingwood, London leather case some contact marks, very fine and better (3) £550-650

M.V.O. 4th Class London Gazette 24 December 1901. ‘Major, Royal Marine Light Infantry, late of His Majesty’s ship “Ophir”’.

O.B.E. London Gazette 16 September 1919. ‘Lieutenant-Colonel (Brevet Colonel), M.V.O., R.M.L.I. For valuable services as Paymaster, R.M. Depot, Deal.’

Charles Childs Clarke was born on 24 August 1861, the son of the Rev. S. Childs Clarke, Vicar of Thorveton. Educated privately, he entered the Royal Marine Light Infantry as a Lieutenant in 1879. In 1882 he was appointed to H.M.S. Orontes for service in the R.M. Battalion in Egypt, for which service he was awarded the Queen’s medal and Khedive’s Star. He was promoted to Captain in 1889, and to Major in 1897. In 1901 he commanded the R.M. contingent on H.M.S. Ophir - the ship being specially commissioned to take the Duke and Duchess of York on their world cruise. For his services he was awarded the M.V.O. 4th Class. Clarke was appointed Barrack-Master at the R.M. Depot Deal in 1903; was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in 1908, and in 1914 was appointed Paymaster at the Depot, a position he held for the duration of the war. For his wartime services he was awarded the British War Medal and in September 1919 was awarded the O.B.E. (military) In June 1919 he was placed on the Retired List as a Colonel. Continuing to live in Deal in his retirement, Colonel Clarke, M.V.O., O.B.E. died on 13 April 1934. With a quantity of copied research including a copied photograph of the recipient aboard H.M.S. Ophir.