Alured Clarke

Field-marshal Sir Alured Clarke (24 November 1744 – 16 September 1832, Llangollen) was an officer of the British army, lieutenant governor of the colonial Province of Quebec, and civil administrator of Lower Canada. Following his service in Canada, Clarke served as commander-in-chief of the British forces in Madras, then Bengal, then all of India.

Clarke started his career as a young officer in North America. His next post as lieutenant-governor of Jamaica recommended him to George III as a suitable person for the lieutenant-governorship of Quebec.

In 1795 he was sent to India with secret instructions to interrupt the voyage at the Cape of Good Hope where he and his force defeated a Dutch army at Wynberg. On 16 September he accepted their surrender and spent the next two months on arranging administrative and defence matters before proceeding to India.

In May 1797 he was appointed Governor-General of India, and was commander-in-chief of the British forces there until 1801. In 1830 he attained the rank of field-marshal when William IV came to the throne.

Footnote

There was another notable Alured Clarke (1696–1742), a clergyman who became Dean of Exeter.

References

* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=2804 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
*"Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"