The Memoirs of Maurice Clark - war years and detention

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Description: This extract from Maurice Clark’s memoirs, tells of his reasons for becoming a conscientious objector in World War II, his experiences in the Shannon camps and a brief account of his subsequent career in the insurance industry.

Maurice Frederick Clark, the fourth child of William and Grace Clark, was born at Koputaroa, near Levin, on July 26 1910. His early years were spent at Ngaio, Wellington where he was involved in Methodist Church activities. Early in 1929 he got a job in the Royal Insurance Co. He studied insurance subjects by correspondence and qualified by obtaining a diploma in each of the subjects: Fire, Accident and Marine Insurance.

Clark was a keen Methodist and joined the Christian Pacifist Society in 1936. In 1942 he appealed against service in the armed forces and on 31 August was sentenced to detention as a military defaulter for the duration of the war. He was confined in different camps - Strathmore in the Central North Island and the Shannon camps Whitaunui and Paiaka. In June 1945, after the end of the war in Europe, he appealed for release and on 23 July this was granted. A few days later he was released from almost three years in detention and returned to Wellington. He was manpowered for a time to the brick industry but when the order was revoked he applied for a job as a marine insurance clerk in 1947and began his lifetime of successful involvement in the insurance industry.

Maurice married Thelma Sinclair on 30 September 1936, at Ngaio. They had five children, the last two born after the war in November 1945 and August 1947.

Thelma Clark died on 22 September 1977 and Maurice remarried on 18 October 1980. His second wife was Margaret McLauchlan.

Maurice Clark died on 17 April 2000.

The thumbnail image attached shows Maurice Clark at about 20 years of age.