Warrant Officer Class 2 Sydney Clarke DCM

Sydney Clarke served with the Border Regiment and joined the 1st Battalion, Border Regiment (Airborne) after it had been converted to become an Airborne glider infantry battalion.

In September 1944, he was serving as the Platoon Sergeant of 7 Platoon, A Coy, 1st Battalion, Border Regiment (Airborne). On 17 September 1944, 1st Borders took part in the First Lift to Arnhem, during Op Market Garden to begin the Battle of Arnhem.

Sgt Clarke fought throughout the Battle. As the Battle progressed, he had become part of the 'Breeseforce' (under Maj Breese) down by the river on the Oosterbeek Perimeter. On 24 September, 7 Platoon had been detailed to clear the German forces from nearby woods who were threatening the Battalion position. Using covering fire from his Platoon, Sgt Clarke single-handedly destroyed the tank. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal(DCM) shortly after the Battle, and his citation read:

'At Arnhem on the 24th September Sgt Clarke was in command of a platoon detailed to clear the enemy from some woods who were becoming a threat to our main position. On entering the wood the platoon was pinned down by enemy fire from inside the woods.

Sgt Clarke, however, regardless of any personal danger, carried on the advance himself, throwing grenades amongst the enemy. At the far end of the woods there was an enemy tank, hull down, engaging the position on the left. Sergeant Clarke immediately collected some grenades, rushed to the tank, opened the top of the turret and dropped the grenades inside, setting the tank on fire.

During the whole of this period he was under heavy fire. His gallantry, leadership and devotion to duty were beyond all praise.'

Despite such efforts, the Divisional position had become untenable and on the night of 25-26 September 1944, the Division, including Sgt Clarke, finally evacuated across the Rhine. As the Battalion eventually returned to the UK, they reformed at Well Camp, Alford in Lincolnshire.

Sydney Clarke remained with the Battalion, who were deployed to Norway in May 1945 to assist in the surrender and disarmament of the German forces in the region. The Border Regiment ceased to be an Airborne unit as the 1st Airborne Division was dismantled in late 1945.

Sgt Clarke was promoted to become a Company Sergeant Major shortly afterwards, and continued with the Battalion which served in Italy in a similar role of restoration of peacetime civilian order and repatriation in the war-ravaged state in 1946.

Record under construction

Further reading

S. Eastwood, C. Gray and A. Green (Eds), When Dragons Flew: The History of the 1st Battalion The Border Regiment 1939-45 (1994) Silver Link Publishing.