AN APPLE in one hand and his trusty penknife in the other, Les Clarke, would cut slices and offer them to families filing past the Western District Exhibit at Sydney Royal Show.
Health authorities would frown on the practice today, but way before “correctness” Les Clarke earned many thousands of dollars through selling fresh apples, toffee apples and in later years, watermelons at the display as fund-raisers during each show.
He was dedicated to his community, starting three weeks before his 19th birthday on October 1, 1954 when he joined Minore Bush Fire Brigade, his local brigade and 20 years later became its captain, holding the position for 34 years until 2008.
His distinguished service continued with the transformation to the NSW Rural Fire Service where he completed all training for the safety of himself and others.
After 40 years of dedicated service to his Minore brigade Mr Clarke was rewarded with life membership in 2015. He received 50 years long service medal in 2008 and 60 years medal in 2016.
Mr Clarke was also a recipient of the Australian Fire Service Medal.
In 1962 after a level crossing accident, Mr Clarke with his long-time friend Max Walters and assistance from Sargeant Ray Tyson of the NSW Police Rescue Squad, formed the Dubbo Rescue Squad as part of the Volunteer Rescue Association.
Dubbo was one of the first volunteer rescue squads formed to provide all types of land search and rescue in country NSW and commenced with a box trailer, then progressed to a second-hand Land Rover, and a boat.
Dubbo Rescue Squad acting captain Neil Sturrock paid tribute to the “lovable fellow, very much respected”.
Mr Sturrock recalled when he joined the squad 30 years ago, it was “Clarkey” who had guided him.
“He took me under his wing,” he said.
Mr Clarke was a member who was “brilliant” at cordage and ropes, techniques crucial in the early years, and he passed those skills on.
“Clarkey would be the fatherly figure in the squad,” Mr Sturrock said.
“...he just loved taking young people and training them with what he knew and mentoring them.”
Dedication to the role saw Mr Clarke become the first person in NSW to be recognised for 50 years of service with the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA) in 2014.
For is untiring work for Dubbo Show Society, Mr Clarke was bestowed honorary life membership. He worked tirelessly in the Pavilion with the Fruit, Vegetables and Grain. He would collect exhibits from people to help bolster the sections and make for a good show.
Mr Clarke also, with his brothers Ray (dec), Mac (dec) and Bill ran the woodchopping section for many years.
Before he arrived each year for the Dubbo Show, he would spend months prior to the Royal Easter Show preparing the Western District Exhibit. Once Sydney was over, he would then start preparing for Dubbo.
Close friend on the Western District Exhibit, Tom Dwyer, said Mr Clarke began his long service to the “exhibit” by helping his brother, Ray, who was in charge of the wool section.
“As well, Les would help Ray grow and prepare cereal sheaves and they used to dry them in sheds on the farm at ‘Dungarry’,” Mr Dwyer said.
“Les had 25 years at the Sydney Royal Western Districts Exhibit, He went down for one show with Ray, and after his brother’s death, returned every year since.
“He helped with construction, sorting, a bit of everything and ended up the manager for at least six years.”
Mr Clarke would attend at least 18 shows each year of the 65 shows in the western area while manager and while there do a bit of judging of fruit, vegies, farm produce. Junior judging was another.
“By getting about Les found all the good produce for the following year’s exhibit,” Mr Dwyer said.
He said both travelled thousands of kilometres around the west in search of the best crops.
“We’d call into properties and ask for samples of this or stacks of that, all for use in the next Sydney display, and people were very generous and gave without question.”
Les Clarke’s image was shaped in Merino and coloured wool as one of a dozen “people of the land” backdrops of a Western District Exhibit.
The backdrop is on permanent display in the front window of Spotlight, Forbes.
Les Clarke was an “all-rounder’. He could put his hand and mind to anything and then train others, especially the young people who volunteered – whether in the rural fire service, rescue squad, show society or the district exhibit.
Tom Dwyer said around the district exhibit Mr Clarke was called the Pied Piper, as he had the respect of every person he dealt with.
“When it was busy selling fruit at the display during showtime, he only had to make a phonecall and the volunteers would return and start cutting watermelons for sale.”
