Sergeant Navigator, Royal Canadian Air Force. Service number 1300857.

Sergeant John Clakre.

Early life:

John was born on 8th July 1921 and his birth was registered at Keighley in the third quarter of the year. His parents were Albert Clarke and Cecilia Clarke née Bogan, who were married at St. Mary's Church, Eastwood in Keighley on 15th December 1909.
When John was born they already had two children and in the 1921 census we see they were all living at 44, Cherry Street in Keighley. Albert was aged 34 and employed by Hall and Stell's machine makers as a rough turner in their iron work.
Cecilia was aged 33 and on home duties. Their eldest son George was aged ten and daughter Edna was eight.

John does not appear in the 1921 census, because it was taken on 19th June 1921 and John was born just three weeks afterwards.

In the 1939 register Albert, Cecilia and John were living at 5, Ivy Cottages, Low Spring Road in Keighley and John was aged 18 and a dyers operative in textile work. Albert was aged 47 and employed as a general labourer and textile productive process worker. Cecilia was 45 and looking after the family home.

War service:

John was serving in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve with No 432 (Leaside) Squadron with the Royal Canadian Air Force, East Moore in Yorkshire. He was a Sergeant, Navigator and his service number was 1300857.
He was killed in action on operations to Bourge Leopold when his Halifax Bomber Mk III Serial No LK811, Coded QO - N crashed in Holland after being shot down by an enemy fighter on 29th May, 1944.
This was just one week before D-Day on 6th June 1944.

Keighley News account dated 10th March 1945:

News has been received by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Clarke, of 5, Low Spring Road, Thwaites Brow, Keighley, that their son, Flight Sergeant John Clarke, who was reported missing last May after an operational flight over Holland, is now presumed to have lost his life. Aged 23, he had been in the Air Force five years.
Prior to joining the Forces he was employed by the Airedale Dyeing Company, Keighley.

John was just 23 years of age when he died and had apparently been in the Air Force for five years.
He has no known final resting place and is named on panel 227 of the Runnymede Memorial.
He is also named on the Borough of Keighley WW2 roll of honour in the foyer of Keighley Library. This is a large brass plaque mounted on the wall and it contains 300 names.

The Borough of Keighley WW2 roll of honour.

Post war:

In 1946 Albert and Cecilia were Steward and Stewardess of the Worth Village Working Men's Club.

Information sources:

West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935.
1921 Census Of England & Wales.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007.
1939 England and Wales Register.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Keighley News - WW2 Scrapbook in Keighley Library.