Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Lieutenant A. D. Clarkson, Parachute Regiment, late Reconnaisance Corps, who served as the 1st Battalion’s Liaison Officer during Operation Market Garden, and was killed in action at the Battle of Arnhem, 22 September 1944

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Buckingham Palace enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘H. K. Clarkson, 84 Glasgow Road, Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland’, extremely fine (4) £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Alastair Duncan Clarkson was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Reconnaissance Corps on 28 November 1942, and was promoted Lieutenant on 28 May 1943. He transferred to the Army Air Corps on 25 July 1943, and was appointed Liaison Officer of the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment. They dropped into the Arnhem zone on 17 September at 14:08 hours, some six minutes behind schedule. Initially the Battalion augmented the 3rd Battalion and were eventually despatched to follow the Reconnaissance Squadron on the Northern Router. They were ordered to take the ground that it was believed the German reinforcements would come. The 1st became bogged down in heavy and confusing fighting and it became impossible for them to take their objective. They were called upon to relieve Lieutenant-Colonel Frost’s command at the Arnhem Bridge. Throughout 18 September the Battalion was engaged in the struggle to relieve the troops at Arnhem Bridge. On 19 September the Battalion received a false message that Frost’s position had fallen and Lieutenant-Colonel Dobie issued orders to try to reach the Bridge by dawn saying “we must help Johnnie Frost”. The British were then attacked by five German battle Groups who were all from 9th Panzer Division and all assigned to defend the bridge approaches. The weight of fire that tore into the Battalion was immense and over this period the Battalion was effectively destroyed. By 07:30 hours of the 140 men who had joined the attack nine were dead and most of the rest captured, with only a handful making it back to the shortened Oosterbeek Perimeter. This small remnant became part of Lonsdale Force which was pounded into submission over the next two days by General Bittrich’s armoured Divisions.

Clarkson was killed in action on 22 September 1944, aged 22. He is buried in Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Holland.

Sold together with various photographic images of the recipient, including one of him in the glider immediately prior to the Arnhem drop, taken from the Regimental History.