Blair Wark

Wark was born in Bathurst, New South Wales, on 27 July 1894, the fourth child of Alexander Wark, a gas engineer from Scotland, and his native-born wife Blanche Adelaide Maria (née Forde). He was educated at Fairleigh Grammar School, Bathurst, and St. Leonard's Superior Public School before attending Sydney Technical College, where he studied quantity surveying. and for the next year was assigned to full-time defence duties in the port of Sydney. ==First World War==

Enlistment, August 1915, to Western Front, September 1918 On 5 August 1915, Wark enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, He proceeded to the Sydney suburb of Liverpool, where he attended an infantry school before training at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. the battalion was tasked with the defence of the Suez Canal where, on 20 February 1916, Wark was promoted to captain. Wark commanded a company during the action, and on 2 January 1917, Wark gained admission to the Army Infantry School. By February he was back with the 32nd Battalion, and took part in actions at Sunray Trench during March. For these, and further actions at Fromelles, Wark was recommended for the Distinguished Service Order, but the award was never made. For his actions during the battle, Wark was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the details of which were published in a supplement to The London Gazette on 3 June 1918. Granted sixteen days leave to the United Kingdom from 3 November, Wark was selected for a senior officers' course at Aldershot, England, in January 1918. Throughout June and July, Wark temporarily commanded the 32nd Battalion, in 2012 The 32nd Battalion was to commence its attack at Bellicourt at 09:00 on 29 September, and move south through the village. At 15:00, he halted his battalion near Joncourt, and sent out patrols which found the town still occupied by enemy forces. The 32nd Battalion was resting and retraining away from the frontline when the Armistice was signed on 11 November 1918. On 5 January 1919, Wark was granted leave to the United Kingdom, where he accepted his Victoria Cross from King George V on 13 February. Returning to his unit six days later, Wark was then assigned to the 30th Battalion, and sent back to England in preparation for demobilisation. On 31 May 1919, Wark married writer Phyllis Marquiss Munro at St George's Parish Church, Worthing, Sussex; ten days later, he boarded HT Port Lyttleton to return to Australia, where he was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 28 September 1919. Two of Wark's brothers also served in the First World War, both in the 56th Battalion; Alexander was a sergeant, and Keith, a recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, rose to the rank of lieutenant. ==Later life==

On demobilisation Wark resumed business as a quantity surveyor in Sydney, Wark became a respected member of Australian society, holding several honorary public positions, including director of the Royal North Shore Hospital, life governor of the New South Wales Benevolent Society, and a councillor of the National Roads and Motorists' Association of New South Wales. He was a committee member of the Hawkesbury River Race Club, as well as holding directorships in insurance and petroleum companies. On 17 April 1940, Wark returned to active duty in the Second World War, and was appointed to the 1st Battalion (City of Sydney's Own Regiment) as a major. On 26 July, he was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel and assumed command of the battalion. While bivouacked at Puckapunyal Camp, Victoria, he died suddenly of coronary heart disease on 13 June 1941. but was loaned to the Australian War Memorial from February 2017 for temporary display in the latter's Hall of Valour during the centenary period of the First World War. ==Notes==