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Cliff, Geoffrey John "Jack"

Date of birth:
August 14th, 1907 (Beecroft/New South Wales, Australia)
Date of death:
October 14th, 1988 (Daw Park/South Australia, Australia)
Nationality:
Australian

Biography

Jack Cliff, a civil engineer, was a cadet of HMS King Alfred and posted to the Admiralty’s land incident section, which disarmed and disposed of German magnetic and acoustic mines dropped by parachute across the British Isles.
In October 1944 he and his colleague Goldsworthy were transferred to the Pacific as liaison officers with the United States Navy’s Mobile Explosives Investigation Unit No.1.
After the war Cliff resumed his career as a civil engineer with various shires of New South Wales

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Lieutenant
Awarded on:
June 9th, 1942
Recommendation:
"On 11.5.1941 an unexploded parachute mine was reported as having dropped on a two-storey building in the Leather Market at Bermondsey. The mine was eventually found completely covered by debris, and Lieutenant Cliff had to make his way through and below this debris to reach it. When he was about to commence operations another mine or bomb detonated nearby, completely burying him in wreckage and rubble. Lieutenant Cliff realised full well that this detonation was more than liable to have started the clockwork fuse in the mine with which he was dealing. With the greatest difficulty he managed to escape from under the debris by which he was buried, and immediately continued his operations on the mine which he successfully rendered safe. A further instance of the difficulties and onerous conditions under which he was working is provided by the fact that it was necessary to demolish the walls of the building before the mine could be removed.

On 2.7.1941, a "G" type Mine dropped at Leysdown, Isle of Sheppey. "G" Type Mines are dropped without parachutes, and, if they do not explode on impact, nearly always bury themselves deep in the ground. Moreover they contain not only a magnetic unit, which is presumed to be alive, but also an anti-handling device operated by a photo-electric cell. It is therefore necessary to work at the bottom of a deep hole and in darkness. In this instance the mine was badly damaged by its fall, making it even more dangerous, and was buried 24 feet down in clay soil. Lieutenant Cliff found that the clay had found its way under the cover of the mine and had shorn off the top plate of the switch. In consequence he worked on through a series of electric shocks and sparks due to the damaged switch, not knowing whether these were going to detonate the mine. He eventually removed the damaged switch by sheering off the six screws which held it. He then had to remove the bolts holding the magnetically alive unit with a hacksaw owing to their damaged condition. However, after nearly a month of hard and hazardous work he succeeded in rendering the mine safe.

Between August to October, Lieutenant Cliff also successfully dealt with three other mines in the Thames Estuary District, which were endangering oil tanks at Thames Haven. These mines were covered with water and mud and were buried about 8 to 16 feet down. In each instance coffer dams had to be erected and the water pumped out, and each took between a fortnight and a month to recover. These mines were particularly dangerous, as previous attempts had been made to countermine them.

Lieutenant Cliff was assisted throughout by Lieutenant Charles Graham Tanner, R.N.V.R. as "Learner", and the excavating and timbering was done by Lieutenant Lombard and 22 B.D.S Group, Section 216, to whom the greatest credits were due. In dealing with these incidents, Lieutenant Cliff showed the highest qualities of courage, resource, and devotion to duty'"
George Medal
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Lieutenant
Unit:
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Awarded on:
November 24th, 1942
George Medal
Citation:
"For gallantry and undaunted devotion to duty."

Second GM awarded as a bar for on the ribbon of the first GM.
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Lieutenant
Unit:
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Awarded on:
September 28th, 1943
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:
Acting Temporary Lieutenant Commander
Unit:
Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Awarded on:
April 18th, 1944
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Sources

  • - Seventh Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35591 published on the 5 June
    - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35797 published on the 20 November 1942
    - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36188 published on the 24 September 1943
    - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36474 published on the 14 April 1944
    - Christie's
    - Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

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