The John Chidzey Collection

A good Second World War “Southampton Blitz” B.E.M. awarded to F. C. Clouder, a Southern Railway crane driver who was decorated for his gallantry during a daylight raid on the docks in August 1940

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Frederick Charles Clouder), edge nicks, good very fine £350-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Chidzey Collection.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 24 January 1941:

‘Just after bombs had been dropped in Southampton, Clouder volunteered to assist in removing a wounded soldier from the roof of the Cold Store. This was burning fiercely and A.A. shells standing there were exploding from the heat on the roof. He ran to a crane and guided a rope sling looped on to the crane hood which was placed on the Cold Store roof. The soldier was placed in the sling and Clouder lowered him to the ground. As the raid was still in progress Clouder showed great presence of mind and courage in carrying out this operation in spite of flames and smoke as well as exploding A.A. shells.’

The above incident took place in a daylight raid on Tuesday 13 August 1940, on which occasion Mr. William Fisher, a dockworker who assisted Clouder, was awarded the George Medal. The wounded soldier was Private S. W. Jones of the 71st Light A.A. Battery, R.A.

As “Gateway to the South”, Southampton endured 57 raids during the Blitz, with resultant casualties of 633 killed and 922 seriously injured. In fact the city was hit by a total of 2,600 bombs and 32,000 incendiary devices, with 4,000 homes being destroyed and another 36,000 damaged - an accompanying copied newspaper feature from the Southampton Echo states that Clouder had been in the employ of Southern Railway for 12 years at the time of the above related incident, and that he, too, had been bombed out of his home and was living with his parents. He died in December 1968, aged 63 years.