A REMARKABLE grave lies in the church yard at St Andrew's Church, West Stafford.

Samuel Clark, a soldier who fought at the Battle of Waterloo, all the way back in 1815, is buried there!

West Stafford resident Roger Lane has kindly informed us of this in a timely manner as the 202nd anniversary of Waterloo approaches on June 18.

He has shared the grave's inscription with us, which reads: "He fought and bled for his country in the 2nd Dragoons Scots Greys in the Great Battle of Waterloo and after the peace he lived in the service of Mr Floyer in this parish for nearly 20 years.!

Samuel is buried just to the north of St Andrew's church and his wife is buried alongside him.

Erosion and the accumulation of lichen make the inscription hard to decipher, and the Parish Records for the 1850s are incomplete.

Roger has been doing some research at the Dorset History Centre in Dorchester and found from the transcript records that Samuel Clark died on November 4, 1837, aged 98 at Waterloo.

He said: "Had this been right, Samuel Clark would be in the Guinness Book of Records – at 76, the oldest combatant at Waterloo! Fortunately, there is other evidence.

"Both Clarks are clearly listed in the Census of 1851 as servants in the household of John Floyer, M.P. of Stafford House; Samuel’s age is recorded as 69.

"There are also references about visits to the Waterloo veteran in 1852 in the Diaries of Emily Smith, the wife of the then Rector of West Stafford. (Her husband, Reginald, had been a friend of John Floyer’s at Balliol College, Oxford; hence his appointment.)

"A clinching piece of evidence has now been found on DHC microfilm of The Dorset County Chronicle and Somerset Gazette for November 12th, 1857.

"Headed “Death of Waterloo Hero”, it refers to Samuel as “one of the last gallant survivors of the Royal Scots Greys who achieved such deeds of valour on that memorable occasion.” It confirms the date of his death as November 4 but adds nothing else about Samuel’s past.

"The writer is more concerned about the future of his widow, who: “to add to her misfortune, is now laid up with a broken arm sustained by a fall in High East Street”.

So, luckily, this piece of evidence does inform us that Samuel did indeed fight at and survive the Battle of Waterloo,"

Roger is asking Looking Back readers for advice.

He said: "Should the stone be re-engraved more than 200 years on from the epic battle that ended the Napoleonic Wars?

"Before a grave can be restored, it is necessary to try to contact surviving relatives, not easy with a common surname – there are over 90 Clarks in the BT directory for our area!

"Can anyone help? Another veteran is buried in the Studland churchyard, thanks to the patronage of his employer, George Bankes, father-in-law of John Floyer. The inscription has been respectfully restored and is fascinating to read."

Roger says he would also like to know if there are any other Waterloo soldiers’ graves in Dorset?

Anyone who can help can contact Roger by emailing rogerpenelopelane@btinternet.com