Wilwood Alexander Sandys Clarke
Lieutenant, The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment
- Register No.
- 219 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment all The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment VCs →
- London Gazette
- 29th June 1943 on this day → all of 1943 →
- Born
- 8th June 1919 at Southport, Lancashire
- Died
- 23rd April 1943 at Guirat El Atach, Tunisia. (killed in
- Memorial / grave
- Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia
Digest of citation
On 23rd April 1943 at Guirat El Tunisia, Lieutenant Clarke's company were attacked and almost wiped out, he being the sole remaining officer. Although wounded in the head he gathered a composite platoon together and advancing to attack the position again met heavy fire from a machine-gun post. He manoeuvred his men to give covering fire and then tackled the post single-handed, killing or capturing the crew and knocking out the gun. He dealt similarly with two other posts and then led his platoon to the objective, but was killed when he later went forward to tackle two sniper posts single handed
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
CLARKE, Wilwood Alexander Sandys. (reg No. 219)
Lieutenant. The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
London Gazetted on 29th June 1943.
Born on 8th June 1919 at Southport, Lancashire.
Died on 23rd April 1943 at Guirat El Atach, Tunisia. (killed in action).
Memorials at Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 23rd April 1943 at Guirat El Tunisia, Lieutenant Clarke's company were attacked and almost wiped out, he being the sole remaining officer. Although wounded in the head he gathered a composite platoon together and advancing to attack the position again met heavy fire from a machine-gun post. He manoeuvred his men to give covering fire and then tackled the post single-handed, killing or capturing the crew and knocking out the gun. He dealt similarly with two other posts and then led his platoon to the objective, but was killed when he later went forward to tackle two sniper posts single handed.
action).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Massicault War Cemetery, Tunisia
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