Dad's Army Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Private George Clarke
Occupation Soldier (retired)
Affiliations Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers
Series information
First seen The Two and a Half Feathers
Last Seen The Two and a Half Feathers
Portrayed by John Cater
List of Characters

George 'Nobby' Clarke was an ex-servicemen who fought in the Sudan as a member of the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers. Later, he briefly became a private in the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard.

Biography[]

Clarke joined the army in 1897, and served in the Sudan as a member of the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers (not-so-coincidentally alongside Jack Jones). Clarke was set to fight at the Battle of Omdurman until he was dispatched as part of a patrol to see the strength of the Mahdi's army. Travelling through the desert, the patrol met an old fakir who warned them of impending doom, but when the Sergeant gave the old man a mouthful of abuse, he cursed them all. Not long later, the patrol came under attack from thousands of enemy troops. Clarke and Jones were dispatched to get help.

By morning, their water bottles are empty. Stopping for a rest, they were captured by two Dervishes, who pegged Clarke out in the desert after he begged for mercy before clearing off, taking Jones with them. After Jones managed to escape, he came back for Clarke, who was verging on unconsciousness. Clarke believed that Jones, having donned the clothing of one of the Dervishes he escaped from, was a native. Clarke was then transported to hospital, waking up there being the next thing he remembered.

Many years later, Clarke met James Frazer at The Anchor pub on a Thursday, and bought a few pints for him. A week or so later, Frazer arranged for him to meet with Captain Mainwaring with regards to joining the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard. He signed up as a private, but on coming face-to-face with Jones again (who served in the Home Guard as a Lance-Corporal) tensions flared. Clarke later told Frazer that Jones had left him to die back in the Sudan all those years ago, and as a result rumours began to circulate in Walmington, leading to allegations that Jones was a coward.

Captain Mainwaring, perplexed by the allegations, called Clarke into his office to confront the allegations. However, Jones then burst in and explained the truth of the situation; when searching Clarke's pockets when he rescued him back in the Sudan, he found a photo of Colonel Smythe's wife (Smythe was the commanding officer of the patrol which Clarke and Jones had been members of), with whom Clarke had been having an affair. By the time Jones had finished his story Clarke had slipped out - Mainwaring attempted to pursue him but instead came face-to-face with ARP Warden Hodges. Clarke has told Hodges that he was on his way to the train station, and to convey to Mainwaring that he resigned his position in the Home Guard. Mainwaring was still keen to pursue Clarke before being dissuaded by Jones, who urges him to let Clarke go (The Two and a Half Feathers)

Advertisement