Clarance Westley Constable (SN 3711) was born at Burrumbeet, near Ballarat, and educated at the Macarthur Street State School. He was employed as a bicycle mechanic at the time of his enlistment on July 10th 1915, aged 18. He was initially posted to the 14th Infantry Battalion with which he left Melbourne in November 1915 on board the Ceramic. He was transferred to the 46th Battalion while serving in Egypt, before being posted to France in June 1916. He was promoted to Corporal in September 1917 and sent for several months training as a Lewis gunner in England. In March 1918, he rejoined the 46th Battalion in France where, a month later, he was wounded in action, suffering a penetrating gun shot wound to the head. Some weeks later he was evacuated to the 1st London General Hospital where he died of his wounds on May 19th 1918. Only 21 years old when he died, he is buried in the Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey, UK.

Lucas’s Staffs Appreciation of Brave Men, the original Avenue register, records his name as Clarence W. Constable.

Image courtesy of Virtual War Memorial Australia