Great Britain; Distinguished Service Order, George VI, 1st Type (1938-1948); 1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star, 1 Clasp - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43; Burma Star; Defence Medal; and War Medal 1939-1945. Mounted to a suspension with swing pinback, as worn by the veteran, original ribbons, intact enamels on the DSO, spotting evident on two stars, near extremely fine. In a hardshelled presentation case, maker marked "THE GOLDSMITHS & SILVERSMITHS COMPANY Ltd LONDON" on the inside lid, navy blue velvet medal bed, case also near extremely fine. Accompanied by a Royal Air Force Officer's Cap Badge (bronze gilt eagle, the open-ended wreath and King's crown in gold-coloured and silvered bullion wire, maroon felt accent in the crown, along with touches of red, green and blue embroidery in the crown's base, on a padded black wool base, black paper backer, 60 mm (w) x 65 mm (h), both prongs intact); a Royal Air Force Cap Insignia (eagle and crown in bronze gilt, brass support plate, 53.2 mm (w) x 32 mm (h), triple screwbacks intact); a Royal Air Force Blazer Insignia (gold-coloured and silvered bullion wire, light blue embroidery in the centre, navy blue embroidery on the inscription ring, red felt accent in the crown, along with touches of red, green and blue embroidery in the crown's base, on a navy blue wool base, black nylon backer, 103 mm (w) x 107 mm (h)); Distinguished Service Order Award Document (embossed with the Royal coat-of-arms, stamp of King George VI at the upper right, inscribed "George the Sixth by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, Sovereign of the Distinguished Service Order, to our Trusty and Well beloved Charles Gordon Clegg, Esquire, Squadron Leader in Our Reserve of Air Force Officers / Greeting / Whereas We have thought fit to Nominate and Appoint you to be a Member of Our Distinguished Service Order We do by these Presents Grant unto you the Dignity of a Companion of Our said Order And we do hereby authorize you to Have, Hold and Enjoy the said Dignity as a Member of Our said Order, together with all and singular the Privileges thereunto belonging or appertaining. / Given at Our Court at St. James's under Our Sign Manual this Twentysecond day of August 1944 in the Eighth Year of Our Reign. / By the Sovereign's Command.", handwritten inscription in black ink "Squadron Leader C.G. Clegg, / Reserve of Air Force Officers, / No. 159 Squadron." at the lower left, signature of Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso, KT, CMG, PC (AKA Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt) at the lower right, printed in black with the handwritten entries in black ink, on an off-white paper stock, 210 mm (w) x 335 mm (h)); Second War Awards Certificate (printed in red and black inks, on an off-white paper stock, 101 mm (w) x 141 mm (h), fold marks); Fédération Aéronautique Internationale British Empire Aviators Certificate (numbered "13102", issued by The Royal Aero Club on August 3, 1935, seal of The Royal Aero Club of London embossed in the lower left corner of his identification photograph, 75 mm (w) x 110 mm (h), hardcovered); Great Britain and Northern Ireland Air Ministry Certificate of Competency and Licence to Fly Private Flying Machines (numbered "8192", issued on September 2, 1935 at London, Air Ministry stamped, with photo of Clegg, fitness renewals for 1935-36-37-38, 102 mm (w) x 148 mm (h), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book (named to "C.G. CLEGG" in black handwritten ink on the cover, with handwritten entries in red and black inks, dated September 24, 1937 to May 31, 1939, 135 mm (w) x 202 mm (h) x 15 mm (d), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book (named to "C.G. CLEGG" in black handwritten ink on the cover, with handwritten entries in blue and black inks, dated June 1, 1939 to October 31, 1940, 135 mm (w) x 202 mm (h) x 15 mm (d), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book (named to "C.G. CLEGG" in black handwritten ink on the cover, along with the top and bottom edges of the pages, with handwritten entries in red, blue and black inks, dated November 1, 1940 to October 10, 1945, 205 mm (w) x 220 mm (h) x 19 mm (d), hardcovered); his Pilot's Log Book (with handwritten entries in blue and black inks, dated from June 4, 1935 to to June 13, 1947, 180 mm (w) x 105 mm (h) x 17 mm (d), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Service and Release Book (named to Squadron Leader (Acting Wing Commander) C.G. Clegg on the cover, 112 mm (w) x 145 mm (h), housing a 35 mm (w) x 41 mm (h) black and white photo of Clegg, softcovered); Royal Air Force Staff College (Overseas) War Course No. 14 Exercise Solutions Notebook (fifteen handwritten pages in red and black ink, along with four pages of loose typewritten notes, bound to a kraft paper cover via a string, 230 mm (w) x 350 mm (h)); Air Ministry Meteorological Office Meteorology for Aviators Guide (by R.C Sutcliffe, Ph.D., published by the authority of the Meteorological Committee, printed and published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, dated 1940 (reprinted 1945), 288 pages, text and most maps in black ink, some maps in red, green and black inks, with a few black and white photos, 152 mm (w) x 240 mm (h) x 20 mm (d), hardcovered, accompanied by a booklet entitled "Instruction for the Preparation of Weather Maps with Tables of the Specifications and Symbols", 32 pages, printed in black ink and inserted into the pocket on the inside back cover); eighteen Second War Era Aviation Maps (thirteen of various regions in Great Britain, six of which are enclosed in their original covers; five of various regions in France; the maps in various sizes and printed in four-colour inks); Book of Common Prayer (inscribed in handwritten blue ink "Charles Gordon Clegg / from mother / Collect for 9th Sunday after Trinity / March 6th 1932" on the front leaf, published by the Oxford University Press, 738 pages, printed in red and black inks on India paper, 95 mm (w) x 150 mm (h) x 14 mm (h), hardcovered); three Letters (in typewritten black ink, various sizes); three Birth Certificates (two printed in red ink, one printed in black ink, the red versions at 164 mm (w) x 164 mm (h), one at 367 mm (w) x 164 mm (h), the black version at 384 mm (w) x 147 mm (h)); Uppingham School Confirmation Card (stating that Clegg was "Confirmed in Uppingham School Chapel on 6th March, 1938. by the Bishop of Peterborough", signed by the Bishop and Headmaster, text in black ink, 150 mm (w) x 106 mm (h)); along with five Reproduction Photographs (102 mm x 152 mm each).
Footnote: Charles Gordon Clegg was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1915 in Tarporley, Cheshire West and Chester Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England, the son of Assheton Neville Clegg and Norah Clara Clegg (nee Behrens), his birth registered in Tattenhall, Chester on February 1, 1916. His father was a Cotton Merchant by trade, his mother worked at the Rushton Bank. He was educated at Mooreland House School at Hoswell and Uppingham School at Highgate and Rutland. Clegg learned how to fly privately at the London Flying Club at Hatfield, spending "numerous hours doing spins and acrobatics". He worked for a year or so at the Bristol Aeroplane Company (later British Aircraft Corporation (BAC)) before joining the Royal Air Force. He wanted to get a full pilot's training and the only practical way to do that was to join the RAF. Clegg was provisionally accepted for a commission (70797) in the Reserve of Air Force Officers (RAFO; the forerunner of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve: RAFVR) in September 1937. He commenced his training at No. 3 Civil Reserve Flying School at Hamble, was commissioned on November 11th and was promoted to Acting Pilot Officer on November 24th. He completed his training at No. 8 Flying Training School at Montrose, where he qualified for his wings as a Pilot Officer, on March 26, 1938. The Royal Air Force were desperate for pilots, so a number of private Flying Training Schools were commissioned, to provide two month courses covering initial flying training. At this point, Clegg decided to get a flying instructor's qualification. After his training, he was posted to No. 115 (B) Squadron in July 1938, for fourteen days, utilizing HP Harrow aircraft. After having completed his one year of service, he was placed into the Reserve. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Clegg was recalled for service on September 23, 1939. After a short period with the bomber squadron, he became an Instructor at an Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School in Bristol. This instruction assignment and the ensuing life proved "boring" to him, leading him to respond to an appeal by the RAF for experienced pilots, to serve in night fighter squadrons. 70797 Pilot Officer Charles Gordon Clegg was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer, effective March 23, 1940, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 34892 of Tuesday, July 9, 1940, on Tuesday, July 9, 1940, page 4182. He was posted to No. 54 Operational Training Unit at the end of 1940, for a brief course, in order to get accustomed to flying two-engine aircraft. Flying Officer Clegg joined No. 29 Squadron on March 10, 1941, based at West Mulling, near Maidstone, Kent. No. 29 Squadron was a night fighter unit equipped with Bristol Type 156 Beaufighters. Thirteen days later, he was promoted to the war substantive rank of Flight Lieutenant, effective March 23, 1941, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 35171 of Friday, May 23, 1941, on Friday May 23, 1941, page 2948. Clegg was involved in a friendly fire incident while on patrol in the south of England, his aircraft attacked in error by another Beaufighter. He narrowly avoided being hit by a bullet but his radar operator was badly wounded, subsequently having one of his legs amputated. Clegg described the harrowing experience: "The attack by friendly should never have happened. Our sector comprised Kent, East and West Sussex and Surrey. The dividing line between our sector and that to the west was approximately the border between West Sussex and Hampshire. We were controlled by an operations room at Kenley, Shropshire. The other crew, based at Middle Wallop had their own operations room. The two controllers should have been aware that the two aircraft were dangerously close, and warned the pilots. This was not done, and my observer suffered a serious wound to his ankle. I visited him in hospital but I was not aware at that time that he had an amputation. He was not my normal observer and I had not flown with him before. I was lucky. The bullet that destroyed his ankle hit a spar directly behind my back." Clegg was then posted to the Middle East, where he joined No. 46 Squadron in January 1942, another Beaufighter equipped night fighter unit.
He was established as a Flight Commander based at Edku, sixteen miles east of Alexandria. German bombers had been flying from airfields in Crete and Greece, making sporadic attacks over the Suez Canal Zone. Clegg was promoted to Temporary Squadron Leader on June 1, 1942 and was made a Flight Commander. Squadron Leaders were indeed unit commanders in single-engine aircraft squadrons. Due to the greater personnel strength and therefore, increased responsibility associated with multi-engine aircraft, during the early months of the war, it was decided that all commanding officers should be Wing Commanders, and hence flight commanders became Squadron Leaders, rather than Flight Lieutenants. While in Egypt, he was in air combat on four occasions in the Summer of 1942, each time with his Observer/Radio Operator, Sergeant Taylor, credited with four victories and a probable one. On the first occasion, he was piloting a Beaufighter If X7746 on the night of June 16-17, when he downed an unidentified enemy aircraft North of Alexandria, the Squadron's first success since arriving in Egypt. Two weeks later, he was piloting a Beaufighter If X7674 on the night of June 29-30, in combat with a Heinkel 111, making contact with the aircraft but credited with a "probable". Three days passed before the pair would see action again, aboard a Beaufighter If on the night of July 3-4, downing their target, a Junkers 88, possibly from Lehrgeschwader 1, ten miles north of Edku. Another pilot also claimed a Junkers 88 in the same attack. The pair would not have to wait long for another air encounter. On the night of July 6-7, Clegg and Taylor were ordered to patrol over Cairo in their Beaufighter If X7638. A radar site had picked up an unidentified contact and Clegg climbed to intercept. A short burst from his cannons set the enemy aircraft on fire, then moments later, it exploded. Shortly after, Taylor registered another contact and homed the Beaufighter to a position astern of an enemy bomber. Clegg opened fire and severely damaged the aircraft, which rapidly lost height and was trailing smoke. Post-war research indicates that it failed to return to its base. Together, the two were credited with destroying two Heinkel 111's from 4 Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 100 (identified by the codes painted on the fuselages: 6N+LG and 6N+GB), one in the Cairo area, the other over Wadi Natrun. Despite these performances, neither were decorated at the time. The following day, Clegg was invited to a local radio station, to give an account of his success.
This event attracted considerable press interest back in England, with a headline in the Manchester Evening News proclaiming: "Manchester man's brilliance. Night fighter guards Cairo." A contrasting report appeared in the local paper in Highgate, where his mother lived. It noted that she had received a telegram from her son which read: "I am not doing very much." Clegg was subsequently posted to No. 89 Squadron on November 10, 1942, based at Abu Sueir Airfield, near Port Said, the RAF Middle East's other night fighter unit. He was with this unit for only six weeks, which included a detachment of four crews in Malta, where they made single crew night raids over Sicily and Tunis, looking for trains or any other suitable targets. Rumblings were coming out of India, as the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, had complained about the lack of air defences for Calcutta (now Kolkata), which had been badly bombed by the Japanese. Clegg led a detachment of four Beaufighters from this unit to Dum Dum, a civil airport on the outskirts of Calcutta, India that had been taken over by the RAF as an airfield, the crews arriving on January 14, 1943. Calcutta was full of enemy agents and the unit's arrival was no doubt reported. Clegg and Taylor, his long time Observer/Radio Operator, and another crew were on duty the following night. They had gone for supper when the other crew received a call to scramble. Both crews took to the air, confronting the enemy, which had three aircraft in close formation, the first of which was shot down, then the second and finally, the third. Not one of them made the slightest attempt to escape. The second night, the same crews were on duty, when the Japanese returned for a repeat performance. Again, they were all at supper when another call to scramble was made. This time, four aircraft came in close formation, three of which were shot down, the fourth escaping. As far as Clegg knew, these were the last air raids in Calcutta. Three months later, Clegg converted to bombers and began flying the Consolidated B-24 Liberator with No. 159 Squadron, operating at Digri, eighty miles west of Calcutta. Digri was not connected to the city by road, only by a single rail line, an eight hour trip due to the stops at every village. The B-24 Liberator was an American-made bomber that could operate at extreme range, with some sorties in excess of eighteen hours, allowing it to reach Japanese targets in southern Burma and Siam (Thailand). The planes were four-engine bombers that were supplied by the United States under Lend-Lease (while at the end of the war both the Royal Air Force as well as the Royal Australian Air Force were willing to continue operating the B-24, the terms of Lend-Lease agreements stipulating that these aircraft had to be either paid for or returned to the United States, and vast graveyards of aircraft accumulated in India as well as Tarakan and Australia).
Clegg had been appointed a Flight Commander and flew long-range bombing and mining operations throughout 1943. On at least two occasions, he made the long return flight from Burma on three engines after being engaged by heavy anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters in the target area. Squadron Leader Clegg assumed Command of 159 Squadron, his vice being Wing Commander J. P. Hopkins D.F.C., with effective from January 15, 1944. After thirty operations, he was rested in the Spring of 1944. Squadron Leader Charles Gordon Clegg (70797), Reserve of Air Force Officers (RAFO), No. 159 Squadron was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, "in recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations", the announcement appearing in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 36665 of Friday, August 18, 1944, on Tuesday, August 22, 1944, page 3883. His citation appeared in an Air Ministry Bulletin and in Flight Magazine of October 5, 1944: "Squadron Leader Clegg is an outstanding operational pilot who has been employed on operations without a break since May, 1941. In the United Kingdom and the Middle East theatres of war he participated in numerous night fighter and intruder patrols and, during that period, destroyed at least four enemy aircraft. Since joining this Squadron as Flight Commander, he has completed his duties in a most able and skillful manner. He has completed a number of successful night bomber sorties over Burma and has twice flown his aircraft and crew safely to base on three engines after sustaining damage in combats with enemy fighters." Clegg is mentioned in the book "B-24 Bridge Busters - RAF Liberators over Burma" by Colin Pateman. After the staff tour in New Delhi and command of the Liberator Refresher Flying Unit at Kolar, near Bangalore, Clegg left the Royal Air Force in 1946. A good deal of his post-war civilian life remained something of a mystery to his family. Apart from a wine magazine publishing venture, very little was known of his business, professional or indeed his social life. Moyra Perrin, with whom he shared much of his life, died in 1999. Charles Gordon Clegg died on September 18, 2013, at the age of 97. (C:197)
Great Britain; Distinguished Service Order, George VI, 1st Type (1938-1948); 1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star, 1 Clasp - NORTH AFRICA 1942-43; Burma Star; Defence Medal; and War Medal 1939-1945. Mounted to a suspension with swing pinback, as worn by the veteran, original ribbons, intact enamels on the DSO, spotting evident on two stars, near extremely fine. In a hardshelled presentation case, maker marked "THE GOLDSMITHS & SILVERSMITHS COMPANY Ltd LONDON" on the inside lid, navy blue velvet medal bed, case also near extremely fine. Accompanied by a Royal Air Force Officer's Cap Badge (bronze gilt eagle, the open-ended wreath and King's crown in gold-coloured and silvered bullion wire, maroon felt accent in the crown, along with touches of red, green and blue embroidery in the crown's base, on a padded black wool base, black paper backer, 60 mm (w) x 65 mm (h), both prongs intact); a Royal Air Force Cap Insignia (eagle and crown in bronze gilt, brass support plate, 53.2 mm (w) x 32 mm (h), triple screwbacks intact); a Royal Air Force Blazer Insignia (gold-coloured and silvered bullion wire, light blue embroidery in the centre, navy blue embroidery on the inscription ring, red felt accent in the crown, along with touches of red, green and blue embroidery in the crown's base, on a navy blue wool base, black nylon backer, 103 mm (w) x 107 mm (h)); Distinguished Service Order Award Document (embossed with the Royal coat-of-arms, stamp of King George VI at the upper right, inscribed "George the Sixth by the Grace of God of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India, Sovereign of the Distinguished Service Order, to our Trusty and Well beloved Charles Gordon Clegg, Esquire, Squadron Leader in Our Reserve of Air Force Officers / Greeting / Whereas We have thought fit to Nominate and Appoint you to be a Member of Our Distinguished Service Order We do by these Presents Grant unto you the Dignity of a Companion of Our said Order And we do hereby authorize you to Have, Hold and Enjoy the said Dignity as a Member of Our said Order, together with all and singular the Privileges thereunto belonging or appertaining. / Given at Our Court at St. James's under Our Sign Manual this Twentysecond day of August 1944 in the Eighth Year of Our Reign. / By the Sovereign's Command.", handwritten inscription in black ink "Squadron Leader C.G. Clegg, / Reserve of Air Force Officers, / No. 159 Squadron." at the lower left, signature of Archibald Henry Macdonald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso, KT, CMG, PC (AKA Sir Archibald Sinclair, Bt) at the lower right, printed in black with the handwritten entries in black ink, on an off-white paper stock, 210 mm (w) x 335 mm (h)); Second War Awards Certificate (printed in red and black inks, on an off-white paper stock, 101 mm (w) x 141 mm (h), fold marks); Fédération Aéronautique Internationale British Empire Aviators Certificate (numbered "13102", issued by The Royal Aero Club on August 3, 1935, seal of The Royal Aero Club of London embossed in the lower left corner of his identification photograph, 75 mm (w) x 110 mm (h), hardcovered); Great Britain and Northern Ireland Air Ministry Certificate of Competency and Licence to Fly Private Flying Machines (numbered "8192", issued on September 2, 1935 at London, Air Ministry stamped, with photo of Clegg, fitness renewals for 1935-36-37-38, 102 mm (w) x 148 mm (h), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book (named to "C.G. CLEGG" in black handwritten ink on the cover, with handwritten entries in red and black inks, dated September 24, 1937 to May 31, 1939, 135 mm (w) x 202 mm (h) x 15 mm (d), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book (named to "C.G. CLEGG" in black handwritten ink on the cover, with handwritten entries in blue and black inks, dated June 1, 1939 to October 31, 1940, 135 mm (w) x 202 mm (h) x 15 mm (d), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book (named to "C.G. CLEGG" in black handwritten ink on the cover, along with the top and bottom edges of the pages, with handwritten entries in red, blue and black inks, dated November 1, 1940 to October 10, 1945, 205 mm (w) x 220 mm (h) x 19 mm (d), hardcovered); his Pilot's Log Book (with handwritten entries in blue and black inks, dated from June 4, 1935 to to June 13, 1947, 180 mm (w) x 105 mm (h) x 17 mm (d), hardcovered); his Royal Air Force Service and Release Book (named to Squadron Leader (Acting Wing Commander) C.G. Clegg on the cover, 112 mm (w) x 145 mm (h), housing a 35 mm (w) x 41 mm (h) black and white photo of Clegg, softcovered); Royal Air Force Staff College (Overseas) War Course No. 14 Exercise Solutions Notebook (fifteen handwritten pages in red and black ink, along with four pages of loose typewritten notes, bound to a kraft paper cover via a string, 230 mm (w) x 350 mm (h)); Air Ministry Meteorological Office Meteorology for Aviators Guide (by R.C Sutcliffe, Ph.D., published by the authority of the Meteorological Committee, printed and published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, dated 1940 (reprinted 1945), 288 pages, text and most maps in black ink, some maps in red, green and black inks, with a few black and white photos, 152 mm (w) x 240 mm (h) x 20 mm (d), hardcovered, accompanied by a booklet entitled "Instruction for the Preparation of Weather Maps with Tables of the Specifications and Symbols", 32 pages, printed in black ink and inserted into the pocket on the inside back cover); eighteen Second War Era Aviation Maps (thirteen of various regions in Great Britain, six of which are enclosed in their original covers; five of various regions in France; the maps in various sizes and printed in four-colour inks); Book of Common Prayer (inscribed in handwritten blue ink "Charles Gordon Clegg / from mother / Collect for 9th Sunday after Trinity / March 6th 1932" on the front leaf, published by the Oxford University Press, 738 pages, printed in red and black inks on India paper, 95 mm (w) x 150 mm (h) x 14 mm (h), hardcovered); three Letters (in typewritten black ink, various sizes); three Birth Certificates (two printed in red ink, one printed in black ink, the red versions at 164 mm (w) x 164 mm (h), one at 367 mm (w) x 164 mm (h), the black version at 384 mm (w) x 147 mm (h)); Uppingham School Confirmation Card (stating that Clegg was "Confirmed in Uppingham School Chapel on 6th March, 1938. by the Bishop of Peterborough", signed by the Bishop and Headmaster, text in black ink, 150 mm (w) x 106 mm (h)); along with five Reproduction Photographs (102 mm x 152 mm each).
Footnote: Charles Gordon Clegg was born on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1915 in Tarporley, Cheshire West and Chester Unitary Authority, Cheshire, England, the son of Assheton Neville Clegg and Norah Clara Clegg (nee Behrens), his birth registered in Tattenhall, Chester on February 1, 1916. His father was a Cotton Merchant by trade, his mother worked at the Rushton Bank. He was educated at Mooreland House School at Hoswell and Uppingham School at Highgate and Rutland. Clegg learned how to fly privately at the London Flying Club at Hatfield, spending "numerous hours doing spins and acrobatics". He worked for a year or so at the Bristol Aeroplane Company (later British Aircraft Corporation (BAC)) before joining the Royal Air Force. He wanted to get a full pilot's training and the only practical way to do that was to join the RAF. Clegg was provisionally accepted for a commission (70797) in the Reserve of Air Force Officers (RAFO; the forerunner of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve: RAFVR) in September 1937. He commenced his training at No. 3 Civil Reserve Flying School at Hamble, was commissioned on November 11th and was promoted to Acting Pilot Officer on November 24th. He completed his training at No. 8 Flying Training School at Montrose, where he qualified for his wings as a Pilot Officer, on March 26, 1938. The Royal Air Force were desperate for pilots, so a number of private Flying Training Schools were commissioned, to provide two month courses covering initial flying training. At this point, Clegg decided to get a flying instructor's qualification. After his training, he was posted to No. 115 (B) Squadron in July 1938, for fourteen days, utilizing HP Harrow aircraft. After having completed his one year of service, he was placed into the Reserve. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Clegg was recalled for service on September 23, 1939. After a short period with the bomber squadron, he became an Instructor at an Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School in Bristol. This instruction assignment and the ensuing life proved "boring" to him, leading him to respond to an appeal by the RAF for experienced pilots, to serve in night fighter squadrons. 70797 Pilot Officer Charles Gordon Clegg was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer, effective March 23, 1940, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 34892 of Tuesday, July 9, 1940, on Tuesday, July 9, 1940, page 4182. He was posted to No. 54 Operational Training Unit at the end of 1940, for a brief course, in order to get accustomed to flying two-engine aircraft. Flying Officer Clegg joined No. 29 Squadron on March 10, 1941, based at West Mulling, near Maidstone, Kent. No. 29 Squadron was a night fighter unit equipped with Bristol Type 156 Beaufighters. Thirteen days later, he was promoted to the war substantive rank of Flight Lieutenant, effective March 23, 1941, the announcement appearing in the London Gazette 35171 of Friday, May 23, 1941, on Friday May 23, 1941, page 2948. Clegg was involved in a friendly fire incident while on patrol in the south of England, his aircraft attacked in error by another Beaufighter. He narrowly avoided being hit by a bullet but his radar operator was badly wounded, subsequently having one of his legs amputated. Clegg described the harrowing experience: "The attack by friendly should never have happened. Our sector comprised Kent, East and West Sussex and Surrey. The dividing line between our sector and that to the west was approximately the border between West Sussex and Hampshire. We were controlled by an operations room at Kenley, Shropshire. The other crew, based at Middle Wallop had their own operations room. The two controllers should have been aware that the two aircraft were dangerously close, and warned the pilots. This was not done, and my observer suffered a serious wound to his ankle. I visited him in hospital but I was not aware at that time that he had an amputation. He was not my normal observer and I had not flown with him before. I was lucky. The bullet that destroyed his ankle hit a spar directly behind my back." Clegg was then posted to the Middle East, where he joined No. 46 Squadron in January 1942, another Beaufighter equipped night fighter unit.
He was established as a Flight Commander based at Edku, sixteen miles east of Alexandria. German bombers had been flying from airfields in Crete and Greece, making sporadic attacks over the Suez Canal Zone. Clegg was promoted to Temporary Squadron Leader on June 1, 1942 and was made a Flight Commander. Squadron Leaders were indeed unit commanders in single-engine aircraft squadrons. Due to the greater personnel strength and therefore, increased responsibility associated with multi-engine aircraft, during the early months of the war, it was decided that all commanding officers should be Wing Commanders, and hence flight commanders became Squadron Leaders, rather than Flight Lieutenants. While in Egypt, he was in air combat on four occasions in the Summer of 1942, each time with his Observer/Radio Operator, Sergeant Taylor, credited with four victories and a probable one. On the first occasion, he was piloting a Beaufighter If X7746 on the night of June 16-17, when he downed an unidentified enemy aircraft North of Alexandria, the Squadron's first success since arriving in Egypt. Two weeks later, he was piloting a Beaufighter If X7674 on the night of June 29-30, in combat with a Heinkel 111, making contact with the aircraft but credited with a "probable". Three days passed before the pair would see action again, aboard a Beaufighter If on the night of July 3-4, downing their target, a Junkers 88, possibly from Lehrgeschwader 1, ten miles north of Edku. Another pilot also claimed a Junkers 88 in the same attack. The pair would not have to wait long for another air encounter. On the night of July 6-7, Clegg and Taylor were ordered to patrol over Cairo in their Beaufighter If X7638. A radar site had picked up an unidentified contact and Clegg climbed to intercept. A short burst from his cannons set the enemy aircraft on fire, then moments later, it exploded. Shortly after, Taylor registered another contact and homed the Beaufighter to a position astern of an enemy bomber. Clegg opened fire and severely damaged the aircraft, which rapidly lost height and was trailing smoke. Post-war research indicates that it failed to return to its base. Together, the two were credited with destroying two Heinkel 111's from 4 Staffel, Kampfgeschwader 100 (identified by the codes painted on the fuselages: 6N+LG and 6N+GB), one in the Cairo area, the other over Wadi Natrun. Despite these performances, neither were decorated at the time. The following day, Clegg was invited to a local radio station, to give an account of his success.
This event attracted considerable press interest back in England, with a headline in the Manchester Evening News proclaiming: "Manchester man's brilliance. Night fighter guards Cairo." A contrasting report appeared in the local paper in Highgate, where his mother lived. It noted that she had received a telegram from her son which read: "I am not doing very much." Clegg was subsequently posted to No. 89 Squadron on November 10, 1942, based at Abu Sueir Airfield, near Port Said, the RAF Middle East's other night fighter unit. He was with this unit for only six weeks, which included a detachment of four crews in Malta, where they made single crew night raids over Sicily and Tunis, looking for trains or any other suitable targets. Rumblings were coming out of India, as the Viceroy, Lord Wavell, had complained about the lack of air defences for Calcutta (now Kolkata), which had been badly bombed by the Japanese. Clegg led a detachment of four Beaufighters from this unit to Dum Dum, a civil airport on the outskirts of Calcutta, India that had been taken over by the RAF as an airfield, the crews arriving on January 14, 1943. Calcutta was full of enemy agents and the unit's arrival was no doubt reported. Clegg and Taylor, his long time Observer/Radio Operator, and another crew were on duty the following night. They had gone for supper when the other crew received a call to scramble. Both crews took to the air, confronting the enemy, which had three aircraft in close formation, the first of which was shot down, then the second and finally, the third. Not one of them made the slightest attempt to escape. The second night, the same crews were on duty, when the Japanese returned for a repeat performance. Again, they were all at supper when another call to scramble was made. This time, four aircraft came in close formation, three of which were shot down, the fourth escaping. As far as Clegg knew, these were the last air raids in Calcutta. Three months later, Clegg converted to bombers and began flying the Consolidated B-24 Liberator with No. 159 Squadron, operating at Digri, eighty miles west of Calcutta. Digri was not connected to the city by road, only by a single rail line, an eight hour trip due to the stops at every village. The B-24 Liberator was an American-made bomber that could operate at extreme range, with some sorties in excess of eighteen hours, allowing it to reach Japanese targets in southern Burma and Siam (Thailand). The planes were four-engine bombers that were supplied by the United States under Lend-Lease (while at the end of the war both the Royal Air Force as well as the Royal Australian Air Force were willing to continue operating the B-24, the terms of Lend-Lease agreements stipulating that these aircraft had to be either paid for or returned to the United States, and vast graveyards of aircraft accumulated in India as well as Tarakan and Australia).
Clegg had been appointed a Flight Commander and flew long-range bombing and mining operations throughout 1943. On at least two occasions, he made the long return flight from Burma on three engines after being engaged by heavy anti-aircraft fire and enemy fighters in the target area. Squadron Leader Clegg assumed Command of 159 Squadron, his vice being Wing Commander J. P. Hopkins D.F.C., with effective from January 15, 1944. After thirty operations, he was rested in the Spring of 1944. Squadron Leader Charles Gordon Clegg (70797), Reserve of Air Force Officers (RAFO), No. 159 Squadron was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, "in recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations", the announcement appearing in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette 36665 of Friday, August 18, 1944, on Tuesday, August 22, 1944, page 3883. His citation appeared in an Air Ministry Bulletin and in Flight Magazine of October 5, 1944: "Squadron Leader Clegg is an outstanding operational pilot who has been employed on operations without a break since May, 1941. In the United Kingdom and the Middle East theatres of war he participated in numerous night fighter and intruder patrols and, during that period, destroyed at least four enemy aircraft. Since joining this Squadron as Flight Commander, he has completed his duties in a most able and skillful manner. He has completed a number of successful night bomber sorties over Burma and has twice flown his aircraft and crew safely to base on three engines after sustaining damage in combats with enemy fighters." Clegg is mentioned in the book "B-24 Bridge Busters - RAF Liberators over Burma" by Colin Pateman. After the staff tour in New Delhi and command of the Liberator Refresher Flying Unit at Kolar, near Bangalore, Clegg left the Royal Air Force in 1946. A good deal of his post-war civilian life remained something of a mystery to his family. Apart from a wine magazine publishing venture, very little was known of his business, professional or indeed his social life. Moyra Perrin, with whom he shared much of his life, died in 1999. Charles Gordon Clegg died on September 18, 2013, at the age of 97. (C:197)