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Clement, George

Date of birth:
November 20th, 1917 (Saint Petersburg, Russia)
Date of death:
September 6th, 1944 (Mauthausen KZ)
Buried on:
Brookwood 1939-1945 Memorial (Memorial to the Missing)
Service number:
259937
Nationality:
British

Biography

Born in Sint-Petersburg as George Spiridonoff out of Russian parents, Clement who studied at Oxford changed his name by deed poll in 1938. After he was conscriped he was recruited by SOE and was trained as a wireless operator. On 24 July 1943 Clement was parachuted together with Henri Gaillot to François Valleé's PARSON network which operated in the Rennes area.
According to MRD Foot- SOE's historian, Clement was caught whilst transmitting on 28 November 1943 after which he was taken to Rennes before sent to Fresnes. It appears that after his arrest he kept transmitting, his first transmission without his security check. Yet this was unnoticed by Baker Street. Despite allegations of collaborating with the Germans he was awarded a Mention in Despatches.
He was executed in Mauthausen.

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Period:
Second World War (1939-1945)
Unit:
F Section, Special Operations Executive (SOE), British Government
Citation:
"This officer was parachuted into FRANCE on 24th July, 1943 as W/T operator to a circuit in BRITTANY. He worked for five months maintaining constant W/T communication with LONDON, and made possible the delivery of important supplies of arms and equipment to the Resistance groups in his area. He showed great coolness and devotion to duty in carrying on under difficult and dangerous circumstances.
He was arrested in the middle of December, 1943 and was imprisoned at FRESNES. Lieut. CLEMENT was later deported to GERMANY where he was executed at MAUTHAUSEN concentration camp in September, 1944.
It is recommended that this officer be awarded a Posthumous Mention in Despatches."
Colin Gubbins, Major-General. 23.9.45.
Mentioned in Dispatches

Sources

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