20181 Colonel Basil Laing CLAY, OBE, MID*, Royal West Kent: POW

Personal Number: 20181
Rank: Colonel
Name: Basil Laing CLAY, OBE, MID*
Unit: Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment


London Gazette : 30 June 1920
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31959/supplement/7078/data.pdf
The undermentioned appts. are made.:—.
ATTD. TO HD.-QR. UNITS.
Staff Capts.—And to be temp. Capts. whilst so: empld.:—
Lt. B. L. Clay, R.W. Kent., vice Capt. C. B. Hetiey, M.C.. W. Rid. E, 19th June 1920.

London Gazette : 11 December 1925
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33113/page/8199/data.pdf
R.W.K.—
Capt. B. L. Clay to be Adjt., vice Capt. E. A. Sharpin. 26th Nov. 1925.

London Gazette : 27 November 1928
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33442/page/7776/data.pdf
R.W.K.—
Lt. P. H. Macklin to be Adjt., vice Capt. B. L. Clay. 26th Nov. 1928.

Edinburgh Gazette : 6 June 1933
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/14971/page/477/data.pdf
The King has been graciously pleased, on the occasion of His Majesty's Birthday, to give orders for the following promotions in, and appointments to, the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire:—
To be Officers of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order:—
Captain Basil Laing Clay, Indian Army, lately Private Secretary to His Excellency the Governor of Burma.

London Gazette : 15 September 1933
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33978/page/6018/data.pdf
The undermentioned appts. have been made in India:—
Private Sec. to H.E. the Govr. of Burma—
Capt. B. L. Clay, R.W.K., 18th Aug. 1930.

London Gazette : 11 October 1945
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37302/supplement/5009/data.pdf
The KING lias been' graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned for gallant and distinguished services in the field: —
R.W.K.
Lt.-Col. (temp.) B. L. CLAY, O.B.E. (20181)

London Gazette : 19 March 1946
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37503/supplement/1424/data.pdf
R.W.K.
Maj. B. L. CLAY, O.B.E. (20181), to be Lt.-Col. (Supem.), 17th Dec. 1945, with an ante date for seniority only to 24th Nov. 1943, and with precedence next below (Lt.-Col. E. A. SHARPIN. (Substituted for the notifn. in Gazette (Supplement) dated 15th Feb. 1946.)

London Gazette : 21 February 1946
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37476/page/1049/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services while Prisoners of War:—
R.W.K.
Lt.-Col. (actg.) B. L. CLAY, O.B.E. (20181).

London Gazette : 19 March 1946
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37503/supplement/1424/data.pdf
R.W.K.
Maj. B. L. CLAY, O.B.E. (20181), to be Lt.-Col. (Supem.), i7th Dec. 1945, with an ante date for seniority only to 24th Nov. 1943, and with pre- cedence iiext below (Lt.-Col. E. A. SHARPIN. (Substituted for the notifn. in Gazette (Supplement) dated 15th Feb. 1946.)

London Gazette : 18 January 1952
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39442/supplement/379/data.pdf
REGULAR ARMY .
The undermentioned are restored to the Establishment, 2nd Nov. 1951:—
Col. B. L. CLAY, O.B.E. (20181) late Inf.

London Gazette : 1 May 1956
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40766/supplement/2543/data.pdf
REGULAR ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS.
Col. B. L. CLAY, O.B.E. (20181), late Inf., having attained the age limit of liability to recall, ceases to belong to the Res of Offrs., 13th Apr. 1956.

 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C16666341
Reference: WO 416/68/330
Name: Basil Laing Clay.
Date of Birth: 13/4/1896.
Place of Birth: Newcastle on Tyne.
Service: British Army.
Rank: Private [sic ; Lieutenant-Colonel].
Regiment/Unit/Squadron: The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment.
Service Number: [20181].
Date of Capture: [unspecified].
Date: [1939-1945]

 

PART I.
GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE FOR BRITISH/AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR.

1. No. - 20181
RANK - Lt. Col.
SURNAME - CLAY
CHRISTIAN NAMES - BASIL LAING
DECORATIONS - O.B.E.

2. UNIT (ARMY) - ROYAL WEST KENT

3. DIVISION (ARMY) -

4. DATE OF BIRTH - 13 APRIL 1896

5. DATE OF ENLISTMENT - 1st Commission 13th September 1914

6. CIVILIAN TRADE OR PROFESSION - REGULAR ARMY

7. PRIVATE ADDRESS - c/o ROACHSMITH COLVEND, HAPSBURY, HERTS

8. PLACE AND DATE OF ORIGINAL CAPTURE - ALBERT, 20 May 1940

9. WERE YOU WOUNDED WHEN CAPTURED? NO

10. MAIN CAMPS OR HOSPITALS IN WHICH IMPRISONED
Camp No. / Location / From / Till
OFLAG VIIC LAUFEN JUNE 1940 - OCT 1941
OFLAG VIB WARBURG OCT 1941 - JAN 1942
OFLAG IX A/H SPANGENBURG FEB 1942 - OCT 1943
OFLAG IX A/Z ROTENBURG OCT 1943 - MAR 1945


11. WERE YOU IN A WORKING CAMP?
Location / From/ Till / Nature of Work
-

12. DID YOU SUFFER FROM ANY SERIOUS ILLNESSES WHILE A P/W?
Nature of Illness / Cause / Duration
NO

12 b. DID YOU RECEIVE ADEQUATE MEDICAL TREATMENT?



GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET

1. No. - 20181
RANK - Lt. Col.
SURNAME - CLAY
CHRISTIAN NAMES - BASIL LAING


2. LECTURES before Capture:
( a ) Were you lectured in your unit on how to behave the event of capture? (State where, when and by whom).
NO
( b ) Were you lectured on escape and evasion? (State where, when and by whom).
NO

3. INTERROGATION after capture:
Were you specially interrogated by the enemy? (State where, when and methods employed by enemy).
Yes, immediately after CAPTURE but No complaints as to METHODS employed.

4. ESCAPES attempted:
Did you make any attempted or partly successful escapes? (Give details of each attempt accurately, stating where, when, method employed, names of your companions, wherein when recaptured and by whom. Were you physically fit? What happened to your companions?)
No. OPPORTUNITIES to escape were few and the policy was to allot them to YOUNGER men.

5. SABOTAGE
Did you do any sabotage or destruction of enemy factory plant, war material, communications, etc, when employed on working-parties or during escape? (Give details, places and dates.)
No

6. COLLABORATION with enemy:
Do you know of any British or American personnel who collaborated with the enemy or in any way helped the enemy agains other Allied Prisoners of War? (Give details, names of persons concerned, camps, dates and nature of collaboration or help given to enemy).
SEE REPORT No. 2181
POLLOCK especially calls for most careful investigation.


7. WAR CRIMES
If you have any information or evidence of bad treatment by the enemy to yourself or to others, or knowledge of any enemy violation of Geneva Convention you should ask for a copy of "Form Q" on which to make your statement.
(NOTE: Form Q is a separate form inviting information on "War Crimes" and describes the kind of offences coming under this title.)



GENERAL QUESTIONNAIRE PART II TOP SECRET
(continued)

8. Have you any other matter of any kind you wish to bring to notice?
SEE PINK FORM
The actions of OBERST SCHR???ER and OBERST-LIEUT BRIX in regard to final MARCH of IX A/Z, MAR/APR 1945 were calculated to do much damage to health and deliberately ran unnecessary RISKS of serious casualties from ALLIED AIR ATTACK.


SECURITY UNDERTAKING
I fully realise that all information relating the matters covered by the questions in Part II. are of a highly secret and official nature.

I have had explained to me and fully understand that under Defence Regulations or U.S.A.R. 380-5 I am forbidden to publish or communicate any information concerning these matters.

Date 17/4/1945
Signature BL Clay. Lt.Col.

 

Filed with above Report


M.I.9/MA/REP/R/ADD/2734.

P.W.2
D.D.M.I. (P/W) (Awards Section

The following is an extract from a letter received from Major E.J.A.H. BRUSH:-
"25 Apr 45.

I would like to bring to your notice the unceasing work of Lt.-Col. B. CLAY, O.B.E., R. West Kent Regt., in combatting the German efforts to evacuate OFLAG IX A/Z to an unoccupied area of GERMANY between 29 Mar - 13 Apr 45, finally refusing the German order to march, with resulted in our recapture; as Senior Officer his fine efforts cannot be brought to your notice except by those who served under him, such as myself. Lt.-Col. R. DUNAN, M.C. Welch Ret., will corroborate this statement".

Signed ?A C ALLAN, Lieut.-Colonel

M.I.9.
Ext 1296.
13 Jul 45.


[Hand-witten annotations:]
Is there a report for Lt Col CLAY?
No report

 

London Gazette : 11 October 1945
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37302/supplement/5008/data.pdf


https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37302/supplement/5009/data.pdf

 

London Gazette : 21 February 1946
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37476/page/1049/data.pdf

 

See also:

• Basil Laing Clay - 6th Northumberlands - Tynemouth (Wounded) | Co-Curate
• 
  
• (1304) - Army lists > Monthly army lists > 1914-1918 > March 1915 - British Military lists - National Library of Scotland