William Robinson Clarke


Sergeant William Robinson Clarke was a Jamaican World War I airman who was the first black pilot to fly for Britain.

Early Life

Clarke was born in Kingston, Jamaica, on 4 October 1895, son of Eugenia Clarke. He became a mechanic, and was one of the first individuals in Jamaica to learn to drive.

World War I

On the outbreak of war in 1914 Clarke, aged 19, travelled to England at his own cost. He joined the Royal Flying Corps on 26 July 1915. He served initially as a mechanic and then as a driver for an observation balloon company.
In December 1916 he began pilot training, gaining his wings on 26 April 1917. He was posted to No. 4 Squadron RFC at Abeele on 27 May 1917, flying R.E.8 biplanes over the Western Front. In common with many pilots of the era his operational service was brief. On the morning of 28 July 1917, on a reconnaissance mission over Ypres, five miles on the German side of the lines, Clarke and his observer, Second Lieutenant F. P. Blencowe, were attacked by German scouts. He was seriously wounded and lost consciousness. The observer brought the aeroplane back to the British lines but crashed on making a forced landing near Godewaersvelde.
In a letter to his mother, Clarke wrote: "I was doing some photographs a few miles the other side when about five Hun scouts came down upon me, and before I could get away, I got a bullet through the spine. I managed to pilot the machine nearly back to the aerodrome, but had to put her down as I was too weak to fly any more … My observer escaped without any injury."
Sergeant Clarke recovered from his wounds and returned to duty as a mechanic with No. 254 Squadron in England. He was honourably discharged in 1919, receiving the Silver War Badge.

Later life

After recovering from his wounds Clarke returned to Jamaica. He was later active in the building trade. He was active in veterans affairs and was life president of the Jamaican branch of the Royal Air Forces Association.