Terence Clarke
Encyclopedia
Brigadier Terence Hugh Clarke, CBE
(17 February 1904 – 26 May 1992) was a British
army officer and politician.
. He went to Temple Grove School and Haileybury
, followed by the Royal Military College
at Sandhurst. At the age of 20 he had a commission into the Gloucestershire Regiment
as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served in India and China for seven years in the Indian Army Ordnance Corps before returning to Britain. He was a member of the Army's Rugby team and also boxed as a heavyweight for the Army. He transferred into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
in 1933.
in 1940 where he was mentioned in dispatches
. Later he had a key role in planning the logistical support for the Allied campaign in North Africa (he won the CBE
in 1943), and then the invasion in Normandy. Clarke landed in Normandy and followed the campaign up to Lüneberg Heath(Lündeberge Heide) where he made arrangements to accept the surrender of more than a million Germany soldiers to Montgomery
on 4 May 1945.
candidate in Pudsey and Otley
at the 1945 general election
. He then returned to the Army; Clarke commanded the RAOC Training Centre and then became Deputy Director of Ordinance Services for the Southern Command. In 1950 Clarke left the Army to go into industry as a director of public and private companies; he was almost immediately elected as Conservative Party
Member of Parliament
for Portsmouth West
by the slim majority of 945 votes.
ian government over the Suez canal
, and after the ceasefire in the Suez crisis of 1956 he abstained on a vote approving government policy. He called for prosecution of several British Communists
for treason
when the Ministry of Defence revealed that they had visited British prisoners of war in Korea to try to persuade them to defect.
Clarke was a strong opponent of Archbishop Makarios
of Cyprus
, and in 1960 protested that Dr Hastings Banda
,the British-educated dictator of Malawi, had "shouted at me and behaved in a way I have seen no English or African politician behave before" (Clarke wanted the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
to continue).
, and especially its left wing. When a left-wing rebellion against the defence estimates in 1961 turned out to be less than expected, he shouted "What a poor rebellion!" He was astonished that Harold Wilson
had appointed a Minister for Disarmament in the Foreign Office in 1964, and was so strong an opponent of Sydney Silverman
's Bill to abolish capital punishment
that he said that Silverman and the three most recent Home Secretaries should themselves be hanged.
, it was not a surprise that Clarke lost his seat in the 1966 general election
. When the result was announced (televised live on ITN
's election programme), Clarke shouted back at the assembled crowd "You're all bloody fools!". He attempted to regain his seat at the 1970 general election
but despite the national swing to the Conservatives, but made only a tiny reduction in the Labour majority.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(17 February 1904 – 26 May 1992) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
army officer and politician.
Army career
Clarke was from an army family and was born in AscotAscot, Berkshire
Ascot is a village within the civil parish of Sunninghill and Ascot, in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, Berkshire, England. It is most notable as the location of Ascot Racecourse, home of the prestigious Royal Ascot meeting...
. He went to Temple Grove School and Haileybury
Haileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
, followed by the Royal Military College
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
at Sandhurst. At the age of 20 he had a commission into the Gloucestershire Regiment
The Gloucestershire Regiment
The Gloucestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed "The Glorious Glosters", the regiment carried more battle honours on their regimental colours than any other British Army line regiment.-Origins and early history:...
as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served in India and China for seven years in the Indian Army Ordnance Corps before returning to Britain. He was a member of the Army's Rugby team and also boxed as a heavyweight for the Army. He transferred into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
in 1933.
Wartime service
During the Second World War Clarke served in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in 1940 where he was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. Later he had a key role in planning the logistical support for the Allied campaign in North Africa (he won the CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1943), and then the invasion in Normandy. Clarke landed in Normandy and followed the campaign up to Lüneberg Heath(Lündeberge Heide) where he made arrangements to accept the surrender of more than a million Germany soldiers to Montgomery
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC , nicknamed "Monty" and the "Spartan General" was a British Army officer. He saw action in the First World War, when he was seriously wounded, and during the Second World War he commanded the 8th Army from...
on 4 May 1945.
Post-war activities
After the war, Clarke was a Liberal PartyLiberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
candidate in Pudsey and Otley
Pudsey and Otley (UK Parliament constituency)
Pudsey and Otley was a parliamentary constituency centred on the towns of Pudsey and Otley in West Yorkshire. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system....
at the 1945 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1945
The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to...
. He then returned to the Army; Clarke commanded the RAOC Training Centre and then became Deputy Director of Ordinance Services for the Southern Command. In 1950 Clarke left the Army to go into industry as a director of public and private companies; he was almost immediately elected as Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Portsmouth West
Portsmouth West (UK Parliament constituency)
Portsmouth West was a borough constituency in the city Portsmouth in Hampshire, England. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system.- History :...
by the slim majority of 945 votes.
Parliamentary career
In Parliament Clarke was an advocate of strong defence, and joined the "Suez group" of Conservative MPs who wanted strong confrontation of the EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian government over the Suez canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
, and after the ceasefire in the Suez crisis of 1956 he abstained on a vote approving government policy. He called for prosecution of several British Communists
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
when the Ministry of Defence revealed that they had visited British prisoners of war in Korea to try to persuade them to defect.
Clarke was a strong opponent of Archbishop Makarios
Makarios III
Makarios III , born Andreas Christodolou Mouskos , was the archbishop and primate of the autocephalous Cypriot Orthodox Church and the first President of the Republic of Cyprus ....
of Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, and in 1960 protested that Dr Hastings Banda
Hastings Banda
Hastings Kamuzu Banda was the leader of Malawi and its predecessor state, Nyasaland, from 1961 to 1994. After receiving much of his education overseas, Banda returned to his home country to speak against colonialism and advocate for independence...
,the British-educated dictator of Malawi, had "shouted at me and behaved in a way I have seen no English or African politician behave before" (Clarke wanted the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland
The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, also known as the Central African Federation , was a semi-independent state in southern Africa that existed from 1953 to the end of 1963, comprising the former self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia and the British protectorates of Northern Rhodesia,...
to continue).
Attitude to left-wing politics
As a right-winger, Clarke became increasingly vocal in attacking the Labour PartyLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, and especially its left wing. When a left-wing rebellion against the defence estimates in 1961 turned out to be less than expected, he shouted "What a poor rebellion!" He was astonished that Harold Wilson
Harold Wilson
James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, KG, OBE, FRS, FSS, PC was a British Labour Member of Parliament, Leader of the Labour Party. He was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the 1960s and 1970s, winning four general elections, including a minority government after the...
had appointed a Minister for Disarmament in the Foreign Office in 1964, and was so strong an opponent of Sydney Silverman
Sydney Silverman
Samuel Sydney Silverman was a British Labour politician and vocal opponent of capital punishment.-Early life:...
's Bill to abolish capital punishment
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
that he said that Silverman and the three most recent Home Secretaries should themselves be hanged.
Loss of seat
Having his own majority reduced to 497 votes in 1964United Kingdom general election, 1964
The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power...
, it was not a surprise that Clarke lost his seat in the 1966 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1966
The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs...
. When the result was announced (televised live on ITN
Independent Television News
ITN is a news and content provider with headquarters in the United Kingdom. It is made up of four key businesses: ITN News, ITN Source, ITN Productions and ITN Consulting. The ITN logotype can be displayed in any of 4 different colours, each of which represents a business unit. This is the...
's election programme), Clarke shouted back at the assembled crowd "You're all bloody fools!". He attempted to regain his seat at the 1970 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1970
The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their...
but despite the national swing to the Conservatives, but made only a tiny reduction in the Labour majority.