Lance Sergeant Clifford Searle, 5 troop, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his leadership and gallantry during Operation Roast at Lake Comacchio, Italy [1][2].

This NCO came abroad as a private. He has twice been promoted in the battlefield. During extremely heavy and accurate sniping which had pinned the Troop to cover, his Section NCO was hit. L/Sgt Searle made a 30 yd dash, under full view of enemy snipers, and, ascertaining that his superior NCO was killed, he calmly knelt and took map and compass and other necessary articles from the body, receiving a bullet through his steel helmet in the middle of his operations.

He then took over the Section and led his men through a thick smoke screen which obliterated both own troops and enemy. This smoke was subjected to heavy 3" Mortaring but Searle kept the men going by voice control although he suffered a further three casualties. He led the final charge and overran two Spandau positions capturing two 75 howitzers.

Immediately following this the area was covered by DF (Defensive Fire) task and the Troop suffered a further 15 casualties. L/Sgt Searle now infiltrated with two men on the troop right flank, and silenced a Spandau which was firing on and holding up the advance of the Troop on the flank.

Under a further accurate DF mortaring of the troop, bringing the total casualties to 29, L/Sgt Searle rallied three men and started to lead them over an open space to the next objective. All the party were wounded by shrapnel or automatic fire and Searle, although badly wounded in the chest assisted in dragging one other to safety. He then reported to his Troop Leader and would not be helped back to the RAP (Regimental Aid Post) until he had furnished a full report.

Under continuous mortaring, shelling and small arms fire which inflicted 35 casualties out of 58, L/Sgt Searle's behaviour was outstanding in his complete disregard for his own personal safety, and his coolness and excellent leadership in controlling his men under the hardest possible conditions. (Recommended for periodic M.M., awarded D.C.M.) [2].

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He joined Somerset Police in 1939 and volunteered for the Commandos in 1942 as part of one of the Police Intakes. Resuming his Police service at the end of hostilities he later served as Chief Superintendent of the Bridgwater Division for many years. On the 1st January 1973 he was awarded the Queens Police Medal for distinguished service [3].  He retired in 1979 and died on 11 July 2015, aged 95 years [4 + 5].