Gerald B. Clarke

Who was Gerald B. Clarke?

Gerald Bryan Clarke, born in Gwelo, on November 1 1909, the son of Francis Joseph Clarke and Margaret Shiel. He was the principal secretary to the Rhodesian Cabinet throughout the existence of the Rhodesian Front Government. A close confidant of Prime Minister Smith, Clarke attended virtually every conference and Heads-of-Governments meetings that Smith attended throughout his tenure.

Clarke organized and ran the sub-committee that drew up the Unilateral Declaration of Independence, which Smith and his cabinet signed on November 11, 1965. Thus he is regarded as the architect of the UDI.