Full medal write up
MILITARY CROSS, G.V.R. ENGRAVED TO REVERSE 'LIEUT. P.J. CLAYSON MAY 9TH.1918'; DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, G.V.R. ENGRAVED TO REVERSE 'CAPT. P.J. CLAYSON JUNE 16TH.1918'; 1914-15 STAR ‘F2216 P.J. CLAYSON, A.M.1., R.N.A.S.’, BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘CAPT. P.J. CLAYSON, R.A.F.’, DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS 1939-45. COURT MOUNTED
M.C. London Gazette 22 June 1918. Temp. 2nd Lt. Percy Jack Clayson, Gen. List, and R.F.C. The original recommendation:
“Temp. 2.Lieutenant Percy Jack Clayson, Pilot, 1 Squadron R.F.C. who was posted to this Squadron on 31 October 1917. On the recent low flying operations, this Officer carried out his work with great skill and good leadership. He has been on six bombing patrols since 26 March 1918 and has done excellent work throughout. On 26 March 1918 he, with others on patrol, dropped bombs in BAPAUME on railway N.E. of the town from 200 feet, causing general panic. On his second patrol he dropped bombs on enemy cavalry and limber wagons from 300 feet, observing two direct hits, causing a stampede among the horses. He also fired 250 rounds from machine guns at this target and entirely dispersed the enemy. On 27 March 1918 Lieut. Clayson went out on three bombing patrols. On the first he dropped 4 bombs from a very low altitude in huts behind Fampoux, obtaining direct hits and he fired 400 rounds into trenches at the same place. Later he attacked an E.A. Scout between ACHIET-LE-PETIT and ABLAINZEVELLE and shot it down Out of Control. (It was afterwards seen crashed on the ground near the latter place by Lieuts. Rigby and Clayson) He then fired 350 rounds into trenches at FARBUS. On the second patrol he dropped 4 bombs and fired 100 rounds into enemy trenches. Later he dropped 4 bombs from a low altitude into hutments at BEAUCOURT and fired 200 rounds in trenches E. of FAMPOUX. On 30 March 1918 he carried out a bombing patrol and dropped bombs N.E. of MONCHY.
The following may be of interest :-On 16 February 1918 2/Lieut. Clayson engaged an Albatros Scout and forced it to land in our lines near BAILLEUL. On 28 February 1918 he shot down an Albatros Scout Out of Control. (Confirmed by Lieut. Fitzmaurice and Lieut. McKeague of this Squadron).On 11 March 1918 he with two other Officers sent down an enemy balloon in a deflated condition. On 11 March 1918 he shot down an E.A. 2-seater Out of Control. (A.A. 2nd.Army reported seeing this machine going down Out of Control).
2/Lieut. Clayson’s work has always been excellent. He is a very keen Officer and I beg to recommend him for immediate award.” Dated 5 April 1918.”
D.F.C. London Gazette 2 July 1918. Temp. Lieutenant (Temp. Capt.) Percy Jack Clayson, M.C. The original recommendation:
“Temp. Captain Percy Jack Clayson M.C., 1 Squadron R.A.F. “On the 20 April 1918 while on Offensive Patrol, Capt’s CLAYSON and CLARK engaged six Pfalz Scouts, one of which was crashed between KEMMEL and WYTSCHAETE.
On the 14 May 1918 when leading an Offensive Patrol over DICKEBUSH Capt. Clayson dived on three Albatros Scouts, one of which he shot down S. of DICKEBUSH POND. On the 27 May 1918 Capt. Clayson’s patrol fought seventeen Albatros Scouts; the one engaged by Capt. Clayson fell in flames W. of ARMENTIERES. On the 28 May 1918 when on a similar duty, he destroyed a D.F.W. two-seater, which fell between METEREN and VIEUX BERQUIN. On the 29 May 1918 in company with Lieut. Scroggs, Capt. Clayson shot down a Halberstadt two-seater N.W. of VIEUX BERQUIN. Later in the same Patrol he shot down an Albatros Scout in “No Man’s Land” near NEUF BERQUIN. On the 2 June 1918 he led his Patrol against four Albatros Scouts and destroyed one N. of the BOIS DE PAGAUT. On the 6 June 1918 his Patrol fought with thirteen Pfalz Scouts: he shot down one which crashed in PLOEGSTEERT WOOD. He then engaged another which fell in flames about the same place.
Capt. Clayson combines skilful pilotage with excellent marksmanship; his remarkable successes are of the greatest value to his Squadron.” Was originally recommended for a Bar to the Military Cross. Dated 7 June 1918.”
Both above recommendations are what the abbreviated published citations were based on. Copies of both versions with research.
Percy Jack ‘Pip’Clayson was born on 7 June 1896 in Deptford, London, the son of J.H. and G. Clayson, of Deptford, London. Educated Royal Masonic School for Boys, Bushey, Herts. At the Outbreak of the Great War, he volunteered for the Royal Naval Air Service, going to France on 23 December 1914 as a 3rd.Class Air Mechanic. Gazetted as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps on 19 July 1917, he gained his Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate (No.5617) on 30 September 1917. A month later he, on 31 October 1917, he joined 1 Squadron, then equipped with Nieuport Scouts. Over the next couple of months, he was involved in a good deal of operational flying and took part in numerous combats but it wasn’t until the Squadron re-equipping with S.E.5a’s in January 1918 that Clayson could show what an exception fighter pilot he was. Claiming his first confirmed aerial victory on 16 February 1918; the capture of an Albatros DV of Jasta 30 and a second Albatros DV Out of Control on 28th of that month, between then and 14 July 1918, he would claim a further 27 confirmed aerial Victories, having been made Flight Commander in May. Sent to Home Establishment 3 August 1918, by the time he left 1 Squadron, Clayson had been awarded the Military Cross, The Distinguished Flying Cross and recommended for a bar to the latter, which for some reason didn’t go through. With 29 confirmed aerial victories (should be 30), Clayson would become the 2nd highest scoring Ace of 1 Squadron of the War, only Captain Fullard with 40 above him and the 14 highest scoring British and Irish Ace during the war.
The Original recommendation:
“Temp. Captain Percy Jack Clayson M.C., D.F.C., Flight Commander, 1 Squadron R.A.F. who was posted to this Squadron 31 October 1917. Awarded the Military Cross 9 April 1918 and the Distinguished Flying Cross on 12 June 1918. His consistent good work and…………………..
SEE PDF FOR FULL WRITEUP1) All four Log Books covering Clayson’s entire R.F.C. and R.A.F. Service, most fully filled; 1st - July 1917- May 1922, 2nd May 1922-July 1925, 3rd July 1925 – May 1927, 4th May 1927 -September 1938.
2) Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate 30 September 1917
3) Three Commissions as 2nd Lieutenant, Lieutenant and Flight Lieutenant;
4) Officers Record of Service Army Book with all postings for W.W.1. and W.W.2
5) 2 fine coloured ‘Army Orders’ Second Army for M.C. and D.F.C.
6) Service list of Victories (4 pages) hand written
7) 4 original 1 Squadron Operation Orders, various dates in 1918.
8) Various portrait and group photo’s. Som fine images in uniform, including a particularly nice large one at his M.C. investitures
9) Photograph album, mainly WW1 related
10) A selection of other loose photographs which are WW2 service related
Additionally a large and extremely well researched file of copy research. This including copy gallantry recommendations, medal rolls, 28 W.W.1. Combat Reports, 2 Reports on captured aeroplanes with their ‘G’ number write up’s. M.I.C., London Gazette's, Census etc.
An extremely fine and comprehensive group to one of Britain’s highest scoring fighter Aces of the Great War.