In search of an obituary for 2622361 L/Serjeant Freddie Clutton, 1 Grenadier Guards, awarded the MM

Date of Enlistment:
Date of Death: October 1992

Personal Number: 470918
Army Number: 2622361
Rank: Warrant Officer Class I (Regimental Serjeant Major) ; Major (Quartermaster)
Name: Frederick John CLUTTON, MBE, MM
Unit: 1 Grenadier Guards


London Gazette : 23 August 1945
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37235/supplement/4264/data.pdf
The KING' has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe: —
The Military Medal.
No. 2622361 Lance-Sergeant Frederick John CLUTTON, Grenadier Guards (Malpas, Cheshire).

London Gazette : 2 June 1962
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42683/supplement/4313/data.pdf
The QUEEN has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of the Celebration of Her Majesty's Birthday, to give orders for the following promotions in, and appointments to, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:
To be Ordinary Members, of the .Military Division of. the said Most Excellent. Order:
Lieutenant (Quartermaster) CLUTTON, M.M. (470918), Grenadier Guards.

London Gazette : 6 May 1975
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46563/supplement/5858/data.pdf
REGULAR ARMY
INFANTRY
GUARDS DIVISION
Maj. (Q.M.) F. J. CLUTTON, M.B.E., M.M. (470918) GREN. CDS. retires on retired pay, 1st May 1975

 

Recommendation for Award for Clutton, Frederick John Rank: Corporal Service... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 373/55/487
Name Clutton, Frederick John
Rank: Corporal
Service No: 2622361
Regiment: 1 Motor Battalion Grenadier Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: North West Europe 1944-45
Award: Military Medal
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 23 August 1945

 

Recommendation for Award for Clutton, Frederick John Rank: Warrant Officer Class... | The National Archives
Reference: WO 373/169/378
Name Clutton, Frederick John
Rank: Warrant Officer Class 1
Service No: 2622361
Regiment: Grenadier Guards
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Birthday Honours
Award: Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 02 June 1962

 

Hi
Thank you for allowing me to join. My Dad served in the Grenadiers between 1944-52 and I am planning a road trip to retrace his steps during the final months of the war.
In his memoirs Dad wrote “Attack on Sandbostel;
Firstly full details of the camp along with details of the action taken by the Kings Company are given in the obituary for Freddie Clutton who was the MM there.”
Can anyone offer words of guidance on how I might the aforementioned obituary?
Many thanks
Dave

 

Hi,

Welcome to the forum.

I can’t help with an obituary but here is his MM recommendation from U.K. National Archives.

The incident may get a mention in the WW2 Regimental History and he will likely be listed in the “awards” section at the end of the book.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015010213190&seq=9&q1=Clutton

Steve

 

Thanks so much Steve

 

Sorry diane I should’ve searched for a previous mention of Freddie Clutton before I posted.

Steve

 

Not your fault. I was in the process of checking for LG entries and looking for MBE before I moved posts from my rather messy GG Gallantry awards thread over to here. Only realised afterwards that you'd already posted MM details.

This thread now added to the usual Rolls.

Hope someone with access to Newspaper archives can find an obit but there may well be one in old GG Association journals.

 

Only mentions I could find of Fred Clutton in Journals so far. Would be helpful for searches to have an idea of year of death

Page 130 2010 Journal query
https://www.grengds.com/uploads/files/GrenadierGazette2010[1].pdf


Page 130 2011 Journal details
https://www.grengds.com/uploads/files/GrenadierGazette2011[1].pdf



Page 77, 2019 Journal - Sandbostel & Fred Clutton MM mentioned
https://www.grengds.com/uploads/files/TheGrenadierGazette_2019.pdf

 

C&P'd, so there may be some errors in the text, from Full text of "The Times , 1992, UK, English"

1992

MAJ FRED CLUTTON

Major Fred Clutton MBE.MM.RVM.a warmly remembered figure in the Household Division, died while fishing near Seaford on October s aged 71. He was born in Chester on March 6, 1921.

FEW Guardsmen of Fred Clutton's generation enjoyed such distinguished careers or were held in such affection. At
dawn on April 29. 1945. as a young section commander in The King's Company. First Battalion Grenadier Guards,
he and his platoon, trying to liberate Sandbostel concentration camp, came under heavy enemy fire. Twenty-nine of the
32 Grenadiers became casualties. Clutton held up the enemy at point blank range for 90 minutes while gradually carrying the wounded to safety. His power of command, leadership and great gallantry won him the Military MedaL

It proved to be his last major battle of the war. He later attended reunions of the concentration camp victims
whom he helped to save. Some wore their blue and white striped prison uniforms. The Berlin Victory Parade thereafter was the first of the many great occasions in which he was to play a notable part He subsequently served in
many overseas postings, including Tripoli Cyprus. British Guiana. Malta. Sharjah and Germany, His proudest moments were being in charge of the bearer party at the funerals of King George VI and Queen Mary where his smartness and professionalism earned him widespread admiration.

He will also be remembered by many Sandhurst cadets and at the Guards Depot where he served as the Regimental Sergeant Major. Discipline was notoriously severe at the depot, but Clutton stopped
all bullying, returning instructors to the battalions if they overstepped the mark.

After his retirement he worked for the Diamond Corporation in which he rase to become a director. Clutton will be remembered for his sense of humour. approachability and modesty. It was always fun to be with him. The Queen's Company Dining Club, perhaps one of the most exclusive dubs in the world, for it admitted not even National Service officers, has traditionally never had guests — apart from Fred Clutton who attended every year, such was the respect and affection in which he was held.

He leaves his widow, Olive, and twin daughters.

 

If you haven't already got a copy, the war diary held at TNA Kew would have details of circumstances, route, locations, map refs, etc.

1 Grenadier Guards | The National Archives
Reference: WO 171/5144
Description: 1 Grenadier Guards
Date: 1945 Jan.- Dec.

Some members might already have this diary, while others who go to Kew regularly charge much less for copying than TNA.

 

Regimental History suggests the incident occurred 30th April 1945 - see screen prints.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Amazing - thank you!