WW2 Military Medal Italian Theatre group to Cpl Clarke Royal Irish Fusiliers for San Salvo

GVI Military Medal, correctly impressed 4347510 CPL. J, CLARKE. R. IR. FUS

 

1939/45 Star

Africa Star

Italy Star

Defence Medal

War Medal

Condition GVF

The group is swing mounted as worn.

 

Included with the group is a photograph of Clarke wearing the MM and Africa Star Ribbons, the Buckingham Palace Transmittal slip for the MM and original Regimental and Divisional Flashes, extracts from the Irish Fusiliers War Diary for the attack in which Clarke won his MM and a photocopy of the July 1944 Regimental Gazette "Faugh a Ballagh" describing the attack in detail.

 

The MM was awarded for the Irish Brigades first attack attack on San Salvo from the Trigno Bridgehead, in October 1943. The Royal Irish Fusiliers CO was killed during the attack.

 

Extract From Battalion War Diary 27th October 1943:

 

"Forward coys crossed the start line with A Company on a bearing of 302 degrees, B Coy on 314 degrees. They had only gone a short way when heavy MG and shell fire was opened up on them. The whole Bttn was pinned down, the rear areas still in the area of the start line. As the intensity of the fire increased, it became obvious that the Bttn was in an enemy DF area.

The CO held an O Group at which he ordered D Coy, which had fallen behind, to move up on the left of C Coy. Sometime during the next half hour, the CO was killed by a stray MG bullet, which struck in the head. B Coy continued the advance but was finally halted by the intensity of the enemy MG fire. Major PJ Proctor had been hit and was missing, later known to be KIA, and Major Wood assumed command.

The CO took the decision to return to the area of the bridgehead, but not before it became obvious that any further attempt to advance would be futile and lead to a needless sacrifice of life.

Lieut JGC Glennie KIA, Lieut HL Hutchison (since died of wounds), 2/Lieut JV Baker wounded were the other officer casualties."

 

The recommendation for an immediate MM states:

 

"Cpl J Clarke was a section commander of No 9 platoon, A Company on the night of October 27th 1943, during the action in which A Company were a forward company, and No 9 platoon one of the forward platoons. The platoon commander and platoon sergeant were both seriously wounded, and Cpl Clarke, although himself wounded in the side by shrapnel, and in pain, took over the platoon. By his personal example and leadership, he kept them together under the extremely heavy fire brought down on them, and took them forward until they had to stop through lack of ammunition. Only then did he allow himself to be helped back."