Orders, Decorations and Medals

A most unusual post-war B.E.M. group of three awarded to Warrant Officer Class 2 B. G. W. Clarke, Royal Engineers, who was decorated for his deeds during hurricane “Hattie” in Belize in October 1961, while attached to the Hampshire Regiment

British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (22550159 Cpl. Barry G. W. Clarke, R.E.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Near East (22550159 Cpl. B. G. W. Clarke, R.E.); Army L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., Regular Army (22550159 W.O. Cl. 2 B. G. W. Clarke, B.E.M., R.E.), generally good very fine (3) £600-800

B.E.M. London Gazette 2 June 1962. The original recommendation - submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel D. J. Warren, D.S.O., M.C., C.O. of the 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment - states:

‘Corporal Clarke was attached to ‘Z’ Company, 1st Battalion, Hampshire Regiment in British Honduras. After Hurricane “Hattie” on 30 October, he was attached to a relief platoon on 1 November 1961, which was sent to Stann Creek. The platoon was eventually held up by a 30 foot gap in the bridge over the heavily swollen Sibur River. Corporal Clarke was ordered to bridge the gap as soon as possible. With a complete lack of suitable materials and tools, by great ingenuity Corporal Clarke bridged the gap in ten hours, thus allowing the urgently required platoon and later essential relief stores of food and fuel to get through to the stricken town of Stann Creek.

On arrival there at 0430 hours on 2 November, at first light about 0545 hours, Corporal Clarke was given the task of rebuilding the pier on what was left of the old pier supports. By using debris wood, old nails and with literally one hammer and a saw, in one day without rest or time to eat, Corporal Clarke, with the aid of three men, had repaired about 40 yards of the pier thus enabling essential supplies of food, water and medical stores to be unloaded against the pier.

The next day, this same Corporal repaired one of two generators which restarted the electricity system in the town, in addition to performing many other essential engineer duties.

Throughout the emergency Corporal Clarke was outstanding, carrying out tasks at any time of the day or night, often with the greatest ingenuity, an he was always cheerful and his ability to work with efficiency and precision under strain for long hours and with little sleep, was an inspiration to the whole platoon in Stann Creek. His efforts alone were one of the major factors in bringing some form of normal life back to the town.

As if in tribute to him, the bridge he repaired over the Sibur River still stands enabling relief supplies to be transported into Stann Creek.

The selfless devotion to duty, ingenuity and skill shown by Corporal Clarke were far in excess of that which is normally expected from an N.C.O. of his rank and age.’

Hurricane “Hattie” was considered one of the most severe storms to hit Belize in living memory, hitting the region as it did over an extended front and with wind speeds of between 150 and 230 m.p.h. Nearly eight inches of rain fell in a matter of hours and storm tides of around 14 to 15 feet were recorded at the hurricane’s centre, the whole contributing to extensive damage to some 1650 square miles of forest, not to mention the region’s infrastructure and loss of life - ‘it seemed as if all hell had been let loose’ (accompanying article from The Royal Hampshire Regiment Journal refers).

Barry George William Clarke, who enlisted in the Royal Engineers in 1951, also served in Germany, Christmas Island and the Suez operations, in addition to his time with the Hampshires in Belize. He was presented with his L.S. & G.C. Medal by Brigadier D. Ross, O.B.E., while serving in No. 3 Training Regiment, R.E., at Southwood Camp, Cove (see illustration); sold with original Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for his B.E.M.