Page 9 - RAF Magazine

WHERE IT

ALL BEGAN

Britain’s fi rst black pilot lived out
his dream of fl ying in the RAF and
was awarded several medals,
including the Silver War Badge

Sergeant William Robinson Clarke
4 October, 1895 – 26 April, 1981 successful Allied battles of the war, it began after a
Years of service: 1915-1919 tactical attack masterminded by Britain’s Second
Army, which forced the German troops to withdraw
ritain’s fi rst black pilot was Sergeant William from their defensive stronghold in the small Belgian
B Robinson Clarke, from Kingston, Jamaica, who village of Messines.
was known as Robbie to his friends. A month later, Sgt Clarke was attacked and injured by
Sergeant Clarke fl ew R.E.8 biplanes over the Western enemy fi ghters during a photographic mission.
Front in the summer of 1917. His story was documented A letter written to his mother at that time, with
in depth as part of the 2013 ‘Pilots of the Caribbean’ extracts included in the Pilots of the Caribbean
exhibition at the RAF Museum, a collaboration between exhibition, explained exactly what happened and how Sgt
the museum and the Black Cultural Archives. Clarke was feeling following the attack.
Curated by Peter Dewitt at the RAF Museum, He wrote: “I
the information gathered introduces us to a young man was doing some
who arrived in Britain on July 26, 1915, and joined the “Sgt Clarke qualifi ed photographs a few
Royal Flying Corps, where he started out as an as a pilot and started miles the other side
air mechanic. when about fi ve Hun
Robbie Clarke was transferred to France on October fl ying R.E.8s just scouts came down
18, and served as a driver for an observation balloon in time for the upon me, and before
company, which used a hot-air balloon as an aerial Battle of Messines I could get away, I got
platform for intelligence-gathering and locating military in June 1917” a bullet through the
weapons during the French Revolutionary Wars and spine...”
World War I. Sgt Clarke spent
However, his heart was always in fl ying and in time recovering in
December 1916 his dream was realised when he was hospital in Litchfi eld, Staffordshire.
accepted to undergo pilot training in England. He Once discharged he returned to duty, fi rst to the RFC
qualifi ed on April 26, 1917, receiving his Royal Aero Club Reserve Depot and then as a mechanic with No 254
(RAeC) Aviators’ Certifi cate No 4837. Squadron based at RAF Prawle Point in Devon.
He was promoted to Sergeant on May 29, 1917, and He was offi cially discharged on August 24, 1919, with
joined No 4 Squadron RFC at Abeele in Belgium a one-off payment of £60 and his campaign medals. He
where he fl ew the two-seater Royal Aircraft Factory was also awarded the Silver War Badge, a distinction
R.E.8, the aircraft model used by all personnel in given to personnel honourably released from military
No 4 Squadron to assist with artillery observation and service due to wounds or sickness.
reconnaissance operations. Sgt Clarke returned to Jamaica, and was appointed
Sgt Clarke started fl ying R.E.8s over the Western Life President of the Jamaican branch of the Royal Air
Front just in time for the Battle of Messines in June 1917. Forces Association. He died in April 1981, and is buried
Lasting seven days, and known as one of the most at the Military Cemetery at Up Park Camp in Kingston.

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