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Auction: 9033 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 9

The Great War 1918 ´Battle of the Hindenburg Line´ D.S.O., ´Western Front´ M.C. Group of Six to Major J. Clough, Motor Machine Gun Service and Royal Tank Regiment; Commanding Officer of the Canal Defence Light Training School in Palestine During the Second World War a) Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar, in Garrard, London, case of issue b) Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, in case of issue c) 1939-1945 Star d) Africa Star e) Defence Medal f) War Medal, extremely fine, with the recipient´s nine miniature awards, including a 1914-15 Star trio; cap badge; and the following official documents &c.: - Bestowal Document for the Distinguished Service Order, named to Temporary Major John Clough, M.C., and dated 15.2.1919 - Copy of the Statutes of the Distinguished Service Order - Two Mentioned in Despatches Certificates, dated 31.5.1915 and 16.3.1919 - 16th Battalion Tank Corps Certificate - A typed account of the recipient´s Second World War service experience (6) Estimate £ 1,000-1,200 D.S.O. London Gazette 15.2.1919 T./Maj. John Clough, M.C., 16th Bn. Tank Corps. ´For conspicuous gallantry and excellent leadership on September 29th, 1918, near Guillemont Farm. When the attack had miscarried and it was found necessary to organise a fresh attack, he went forward in face of heavy machine-gun and shell fire, and showed the tanks where to go and gave his orders. All his section and tank commanders were either killed or wounded during this operation. Again, on the night of October 4th and 5th at Montbrehain he led his tanks splendidly. By his strenuous efforts and fine example through the night under shell fire he got all his tanks up to the start line, and thereby materially assisted in the capture of Montbrehain.´ M.C. London Gazette 1.1.1917 Temp. Capt. John Clough, M.M.G. Corps. Major John Clough, D.S.O., M.C., served throughout the Great War with the Motor Machine Gun Service, Later the Tank Corps; advanced Major, 1.1.1917; Appointed Officer Commanding, ´C´ Company, 16th Battalion Tank Corps; Twice Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 22.6.1915 and 10.7.1919). Battle of the Hindenburg Line On the 29th September 1918 the 16th Battalion Tank Corps, as part of the Fourth Army under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson, joined in the Battle of the Hindenburg Line. Protecting the German trenches was the St. Quentin canal, save for a small stretch when the canal passed through a tunnel between Bellicourt and Vendhuille. The enemy position could only be attacked by passing over the canal tunnels, where the line was most heavily defended. Guillemont Farm, in enemy possession, was situated just to the west of where the canal tunnels passed. The main attack began at 5:50 a.m. with the support of 40 tanks; only a few of them survived to be of any use to the infantry, as twelve received direct hits and seven were ditched; others struck an old British minefield, and only twelve managed to get through to assist in the attack on Guillemont Farm. The enemy put up a strong fight, supported by machine guns and field guns sited to deal with the tanks, and a further seven of the tanks were put out of action at Guillemont Farm before eventually the objectives were reached with heavy casualties and the enemy forced back to their support trenches. (see D.S.O. citation). With the Hindenburg Main Line in Allied hands the Fourth Army was able to press on, culminating in the capture of the Hindenburg Reserve System (the Beaurevoir Line) on the night of the 4th-5th October, and the subsequent capture of the towns of Beaurevoir and Montbrehain. After a tough struggle in which the Germans ´had thrown the last rifleman, the last engineer, and the last dismounted cavalryman into the fight´ all of the Fourth Army´s objectives had been taken, and between the 29th September and the 5th October 14,664 enemy soldiers were taken prisoner. Clough served throughout the Second World War with the Royal Tank Regiment from 3.9.1939, initially serving in England as an instructor at Lulworth. However, early in 1942 it was decided by the War Office that Canal Defence Light (C.D.L.- a powerful 13-million candlepower searchlight mounted on a tank, with a shutter allowing it to flicker six times a second so as to illuminate the battlefield and dazzle the enemy) should be introduced to the Middle East, with one Battalion already trained in C.D.L. to set up a school in the Middle East to train further units already out there. Promoted Captain and Temporary Major, 18.6.1942, Clough was appointed as Commandant with a staff of 10 Officers and 163 other ranks, the entire party embarking on the 19th July 1942. The Training school was based at Rafa in Palestine, with training beginning on the 2nd November. A number of Battalions were trained in the skill, and General Alexander was a regular visitor. Although C.D.L. was not used to any great extent in North Africa or in the invasion of Italy, it was used to great effect post-D-Day. Clough returned to England with the training school in April 1944; his work in the Middle East brought him one unusual accolade- during the course of the Second World War he was to cross the Sinai Desert a record 55 times (recipient´s account refers).

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