Obituary: Doug Clark – former Royal Navy commander and member of Ringwood musical society
A FORMER commander in the Royal Navy who was a longstanding member of the Ringwood Musical and Dramatic Society has died aged 99.
Douglas Clark, who lived in the town, served for over 30 years with the senior service and also taught mathematics at Ringwood Secondary School during the 1970s.
Known as Doug, he was born in Weymouth on 26th January 1921 and later moved to Newport in Wales for his father’s job with the Post Office. The family returned to visit relatives in Weymouth every summer and Doug and his brother Ted would enjoy fishing trips.
Doug’s love of singing began at a very young age and at around seven years old his parents bought a piano and he took lessons. Later he went on to join the choir at Summerhill Baptist Church, where he met future wife Joan.
Doug was almost 19 when war was declared in 1939 and, as he had a love for the sea, joined the navy as a junior stores assistant. After completing his training, he was sent to Paisley near Glasgow to join HMS Kenya and in 1941 he joined HMS Trinidad, which was later damaged in combat due to a faulty torpedo. Fortunately, Doug was saved from the ship but 32 others lost their lives.
He was granted a short period of leave in 1942 so he could marry Joan at the chapel at Summerhill Baptist Church. They went on to have three sons: Roger, Brian and Nigel.
Doug rose through the ranks and by 1947, stationed back in Wales, he was promoted to lieutenant. After stints in the Far East he was appointed lieutenant commander in 1952 and he and Joan enjoyed the luxury of married quarters at Littlehampton.
In 1949 Doug was appointed to HMS Black Swan, which was stationed in the Yangtze River in Shanghai and was awaiting repair after an earlier exchange of gunfire. Unfortunately, Doug contracted mumps while onboard and had to spend three weeks in hospital in Hong Kong before rejoining the ship, which was headed for Japan.
At the outbreak of the Korean War, HMS Black Swan was the first ship on the scene and was immediately attacked from the air.
In 1954 he studied at Naval College in Greenwich and one year later he was sent to join HMS Fisgard in Cornwall. It was while he was in Cornwall that he was introduced to the world of amateur dramatics and took part in a couple of concerts and Christmas pantomimes.
In 1957 he was appointed assistant secretary to the admiral in charge of the Reserve Fleet at Plymouth and two years later served in the Mediterranean on HMS Eastbourne.
In notes compiled on his computer before he died, Doug wrote: “We were involved in the trouble associated with the Suez Canal and it was the only time in my career that I went ashore on duty armed with a pistol – I did know how to use it!”
After a brief spell based in Portsmouth, during which he was promoted to commander, Doug was stationed in Rosyth near Glasgow for a few years.
In 1966 Doug was posted to HMS Tamar in Hong Kong and was introduced to a local operatic group, where he was soon given a part in an upcoming production. Together with Joan they also sung in a Christian choir.
They returned to the UK in 1970 and Doug retired a year later, having finished his post at the Admiralty Interview Board based in Gosport.
The same year the couple joined the Ringwood Musical and Dramatic Society. They took part in all the annual musicals and other activities until 1986, when they gave up the stage and helped to form the society’s choir. Doug was treasurer for 25 years and later president, and he continued to be a part of the group until 2016.
After he retired, Doug built a sailing cruiser, and he and Joan enjoyed trips on the Solent and English Channel. He also enjoyed caravan holidays, long walks and maintaining his large garden.
Joan died in 2004 after suffering a heart attack.
Doug, who had been unwell for a short time, died on 25th October. His funeral was held on Thursday at Bournemouth Crematorium.
