About this lot

Description

Defence, British War Medal and Cyprus/Malaya twin clasp medal, with miniatures; also Dutch medals - Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau, Star for Order and Peace with dates 1946-49, and Officer's Cross for 30 years' service, mounted by Van Wielik; together with two Dutch ribbon bars, another miniature Malaya trio and three British uniform insignia

Footnote: These medals were awarded to Major Muriel Clarke (1920-2019). At the outbreak of World War II, Muriel Clarke first volunteered as a nurse, later joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She began by loading anti-aircraft guns in Scotland but very soon was commandeered to train new recruits. After the War she was sent to Romania with the British Military Mission. Then followed a period as a Staff Officer, first in the War Office, then GCHQ Far East Land Forces in Singapore, during the Malayan Emergency. In 1951, she was posted to Trieste on an advanced intelligence course. She later combined her experiences during this time with those in Romania, in a semi-biographical novel ‘The Poisoned Spy’. Her later Army career saw her commanding the Women's Royal Army Corps across Cyprus and the Middle East; she then was a Deputy Assistant Quarter Master General with the 50 th Infantry Division. Her 19-year army career continued in the Ministry of Defence Public Relations Office, then Eastern Command HQ and then at the British Army on the Rhine HQ. She was one of the Army’s top women skiers.

Back to lot listings