Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

Three: Leading Telegraphist H. W. B. Cloke, Royal Navy
1914-15 Star (J.24545, H. W. B. Cloke, O. Tel., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.24545 H. W. B. Cloke L. Tel. R.N.), with named War Badge Certificate, dated 16 October 1918, good very fine

Four: attributed to Lance-Sergeant W. T. B. Cloke, Royal Artillery, killed in action at Kennedy Peak, Burma, 14 December 1943
1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for wear, with card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. H. W. B. Cloke, 84 Greenbank Rd., Edinburgh’, good very fine (lot) £100-140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards for Burma Operations during the Second World War.

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Herbert William Boorman Cloke was a native of Edinburgh, and was the father of W. B. T. Cloke.

William Thomas Boorman Cloke was born in 1920, and served during the Second War with the 129th (Lowland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, in Burma. The 129th Field Regiment were involved in the Tiddim Road battles, November 1943 - February 1944. Cloke was killed in action, 14 December 1943.

The Regiment’s War Diary for December 1943 records that his death occurred on Kennedy Peak during Operation ‘Pumpkin’ - the attack on Milestone 52 by 63 Brigade with 493 Battery as support. The attack was unsuccessful, but the Counter Battery fire silenced the Japanese artillery thus enabling a successful withdrawal. The ‘casualties, L/Sgt. Cloke CTB killed, Gunners Mole and Lee wounded, part of signallers mortared laying line to Forward Observation Officer. Two thousand one hundred and eight rounds fired. One gun out of action. At 1500hrs withdrawn to Tiddim area.’

Lance-Sergeant Cloke was buried at the Imphal War Cemetery.