THE FINE NORMANDY 1944 ‘OPERATION BLUECOAT’ D.C.M. RECOMMENDATION M.M. TO A 20 YEAR OLD CORPORAL OF 7TH SOMERSET LIGHT INFANTRY FOR HIS GALLANTRY ON 1 AUGUST 1944, DURING CLOSE QUARTER FIGHTING AT ST. PIERRE DU FRESNE, WHEN HIS PLATOONS POSITION WAS OVERRUN BY INFANTRY AND ARMOUR, HE STALKED TWO TANKS, ATTACKING THEM WITH PHOSPHORUS GRENADES AND FORCING THE CREW OF A JADGPATHER TO ABANDON THEIR TANK. TAKING PART IN THE ACTIONS AT LE SAUSSAY, 9 AUGUST, HE LED A RECCE PATROL ON 10TH AND PERSONALLY ELIMINATED A ‘BUNCH’ OF THE ENEMY HE RAN INTO. TWO DAYS LATER HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION DURING A ‘HEDGEROW’ FIREFIGHT WITH THE ENEMY

MILITARY MEDAL, G.VI.R.‘14401018 CPL. J. H. L, MCCLERNON. SOM. L.I.’, ON ORIGINAL PIN.

M.M. London Gazette 21 December 1944, The recommendation, originally for an immediate DCM, states:

“On 1 August 1944, at St. Pierre du Fresne at about 0900hrs, the position held by the Platoon to which Cpl McCLERNON belonged was attacked by Infantry and Tanks. One Section was over-run and only a sunken road divided the enemy from the rest of the platoon. Cpl McCLERNON collected and distributed ammo, stalked two tanks and threw grenades at close quarters. He moved continually about the platoon encouraging the defenders and was always present at the most exposed point. His bearing, example and initiative contributed materially to the defeat of an attack by a considerably superior force.”

James Henry Long McClernon was born in London on 3 June 1924. He was obviously keen to join up and “do his bit” in WW2, as his service papers show he lied about his age to join the Royal Sussex Regiment three weeks after his 16th birthday in June 1940. He was given the service number 6405511 and served one year and twelve days before his true age was discovered. He was discharged for being underage in July 1941 but enlisted for the second time a few weeks after his 18th Birthday on 31 July 1942. Given a new service number - 14401018 and joining the 8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment on 28 October 1942, he was transferred to the 7th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry on 23 April 1944 and promoted to War Substantive Corporal two days later.

Serving with ‘B’ Company, Corporal McClernon and his battalion, as part of 43rd Wessex Division, landed in Normandy on 20 June 1944. During Operation Epsom (26 -30 June 1944), the Somersets took part in their first major action against elements of 1st SS Panzer Division. This offensive operation being a large-scale British attempt to out-flank and seize Caen...

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Condition EF. Sold with copied research: MM recommendation, full service papers, WW2 medal card,, Copy photograph, pages from ‘The Story of the Seventh Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry’, newspaper article in the Wells Journal, Copy Battalion War Diary (digital) June – August 1944.

A really quite outstanding Normandy M.M. to an extremely brave and seemingly fearless young soldier.