Second World War North Africa “Desert Rats” Operation Crusader Battle of Sidi Rezegh 23 November 1941 ‘immediate’ Military Medal, pre-war Palestine Arab Rebellion and subsequent North West Europe Reichswald March 1945 casualty group awarded to Acting Bombardier later Sergeant L.J.A. Clarke, M.M., Royal Artillery. From St. Albans, Hertfordshire, he served pre-war in Palestine during the Arab Rebellion, and with the Second World War was out in Egypt. Serving as a member of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery, he fought as part of Operation Crusader during the Battle of Sidi Rezegh in the attempt to lift the Siege of Tobruk. His regiment, and anti-tank gun unit, at this time formed part of the 7th Support Group in the 7th Armoured Division, the "Desert Rats”. Two days before Clarke earned his award, an officer in his regiment, 2nd Lieutenant Gunn won a posthumous award of the Victoria Cross for bravery during an attack by 60 German Tanks. Then on 23 November, Clarke found himself and his gun escorting an Observation Post of 203 Battery, 51st Field Regiment R.A. on the escarpment looking north to Sidi Rezegh aerodrome. When two German Mark 3 tanks attacked the Observation Post early in the morning, Clarke’s gun remained in position while the Observation Post withdrew and he knocked out one of the tanks and caused the other to withdraw under a smoke screen. Later in the day this gun destroyed 4 lorries and a staff car from the same Observation Post. Throughout the severe fighting on this day Clarke was a constant inspiration to his whole troop. Recommended initially for an ‘immediate’ award of a Distinguished Conduct Medal, this was downgraded to an ‘immediate’ award of the Military Medal, gazetted on 26 March 1942. Clarke went on to serve with the 1st Heavy Field Regiment R.A. under the 2nd Canadian Army Group when on operations in North West Europe, and was wounded in action during the fighting in the Reichswald on 27 March 1945.
Group of 7: Military Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (825745 A/BMBR. L.J.A. CLARKE. R.A.); General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVI 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: Palestine; (825745. GNR. L.J. CLARKE. R.A.); 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star with 8th Army Clasp; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal. Mounted swing style as worn.
Condition: note second had only two initials, slight contact wear, Very Fine.
Lionel John Alfred Clarke came from St. Albans, Hertfordshire, and enlisted into the regular British Army on 21 September 1936, joining as a Gunner (No.825745) the Royal Artillery, he having formerly been a Territorial Army Reservist. Present out in Palestine during the Arab Rebellion, with the Second World War he found himself serving with the 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. The regiment was constituted in 1939 out of existing batteries which were then on service in Egypt.
On 16 October 1939 the regiment was assigned to Headquarters Royal Artillery Group (Middle East Reserve) as an anti-tank regiment armed with 2 pounder guns. M Battery, however, was permanently attached to the Armoured Division (Egypt) (later the 7th Armoured Division, the "Desert Rats"). In March 1941, P Battery left the regiment to join 6th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery in the United Kingdom. In practice just the title was transferred; the personnel and equipment were distributed amongst D, J and M batteries making them up to eight-gun units. On 1 March 1941, the regiment joined M Battery in 7th Support Group and all three batteries were re-designated as anti-tank. This was the case when Clarke earned his award of the Military Medal during Operation Crusader when in action on the escarpment looking north to Sidi Rezegh aerodrome on 23 November 1941.
The regiment took part in the final attempt to lift the Siege of Tobruk, Operation Crusader (18 November – 10 December) – notably the Battle of Sidi Rezegh where Second Lieutenant George Ward Gunn (J Battery) earned the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross for his bravery during an attack by 60 German Tanks on 21 November 1941. He was the commander of ‘A’ Troop of ‘J’ Battery. It was two days later that Clarke, by then an Acting Bombardier, performed the actions which led to his award.
The recommendation for Clarke’s award reads as follows: ‘On 23 November 1941 Bombardier Clarke’s gun was escorting an Observation Post of 203 Battery, 51st Field Regiment R.A. on the escarpment looking north to Sidi Rezegh aerodrome. When two German Mark 3 tanks attacked the Observation Post early in the morning Bombardier Clarke’s gun remained in position while the Observation Post withdrew and he knocked out one of the tanks and caused the other to withdraw under a smoke screen. Later in the day this gun destroyed 4 lorries and a staff car from the same Observation Post. Throughout the severe fighting on this day Bombardier Clarke was a constant inspiration to his whole troop and set an outstanding example of cheerfulness and gallantry.’
Initially recommended for the ‘immediate’ award of a Distinguished Conduct Medal, this was downgraded to an ‘immediate’ award of the Military Medal, as published in the London Gazette for 26 March 1942.
Clarke subsequently transferred to the 1st Heavy Field Regiment R.A., and went on to serve in North West Europe where his regiment, originally 2nd British Army, then formed part of the 2nd Canadian Army Group. After landing in Normandy in July 1944, it fought at the Falaise Gap in September 1944, and then advanced into Belgium in the following month, and as of March 1945 was fighting in the Reichswald in Germany. It was here, then Clarke, a War Substantive Sergeant, was wounded in action on 27 March 1945. Clarke was eventually transferred to the Army Class ‘Z’ Reserve on 20 September 1948.
