Michael Clapp
His first major deployment was in the Far East in the Fiji-class cruiser HMS Ceylon for service in the Korean War theatre.[2] From an interview with Michael Clapp: The ship was employed patrolling the coast of North Korea well behind their front-line bombarding bridges and railways to make the logistic support of those further south difficult.He then joined HMAS Bataan, a Royal Australian Navy Tribal-class destroyer and continued to patrol the West coast of North Korea.He returned home in August 1952 and went to the Junior Officers Staff Course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich for two terms.She had been deployed along the Suez Canal and in the Red Sea for several weeks supporting both the Army and merchant shipping when she returned to Malta for leave.A couple of days later the ship's company were recalled and she sailed for Cyprus to relieve another destroyer which was running low on fuel.In the darkness that followed the Comet switched off her 20 inch signal projector which was being used as a searchlight, as it was difficult for the coxswain to see which way the caique was moving and how fast.His first operational flying tour was in fact with 849 Naval Air Squadron in the Airborne early warning and control role.He received no reply but he had reported the situation to the Commander-in-Chief who sent two RAF Hunters who flew over the Indonesian boats to add to our defence.The ship spent much time off Borneo taking groups of British and Gurkha soldiers and landing them as required.He received a mentioned in despatches "for distinguished services in the Far East Fleet Patrols and the Borneo Territories during the period 24 December 1964 to 23 June 1965."[22] His flagship during the Falklands War was HMS Fearless When he was younger Michael Clapp was a rugby football player and a boxer.He is a member of the Royal Cruising Club and when he finally retired he sailed his 28 ft yacht to the Caribbean and back.Just before his retirement Michael Clapp was made an Aide de Camp to Queen Elizabeth II from the 18th of January 1983 [27] to the 5th of July 1983[28] which entitles him to use the post-nominal letters "ADC".On 11 October 1982, Clapp was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) 'in recognition of service within the operations in the South Atlantic'.
Royal NavyCommodore801 Naval Air SquadronHMS JaguarHMS LeanderCommodore Amphibious Warfare (COMAW)Korean WarIndonesian ConfrontationFalklands WarUnited KingdomBrigadierRoyal Corps of SignalsChafyn Grove Schoolpreparatory schoolSalisburyWiltshireMarlborough Collegeprivate schoolMarlboroughEnglandFiji-class cruiserHMS CeylonKorea MedalUnited Nations Korea MedalQF 4-inch naval gun Mk XVIBofors 40 mm gunHMAS BataanRoyal Australian NavyTribal-class destroyerRoyal Naval College, GreenwichHMS Cometnaval boardingchief engineersignallerengine room artificerLanchester submachine gunbayonetsWebley Revolversrugby footballcaiqueNaval General Service Medal 1915Fleet Air Arm849 Naval Air SquadronAirborne early warning and controlUnited States NavyDouglas SkyraiderHMS Ark RoyalHMS BulwarkHMS EagleHMS HermesHMS VictoriousFerranti Ltd.Blackburn Buccaneer700 Naval Air SquadronTon-class minesweeperMalaysiaIndonesiamentioned in despatchesMention in DispatchesGeneral Service Medal (1962)Lieutenant CommanderRNAS LossiemouthBoyd Trophycommanderexecutive officerHMS NorfolkExocetToulonFrancecaptainJoint Warfare EstablishmentGulf of MexicoMinistry of DefenceCommodore Amphibious WarfareGrand HarbourAdmiral Sir John Fieldhouse3 Commando BrigadeJulian ThompsonAscension IslandBritish logistics in the Falklands WarSan Carlos Wateramphibious landingsOperation SuttonBattle of San Carlos (1982)Bluff Cove air attacksOrder of the BathHMS FearlessDevonshireBroadhempstonTotnesManor of Broad HempstonstockbrokerLondon Stock ExchangeDirectorKelly CollegesailingshootingfishingRoyal Cruising ClubCaribbeanEwen Southby-TailyourAide de CampElizabeth IINaval General Service Medal (1915)South Atlantic MedalQueen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee MedalThe London GazetteFreedman, LawrenceSouthby-Tailyour, Ewen