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.
On 4th January 1954 she was detected but allowed to land as a flashing light was seen giving away the position of her reception party.
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.
They embarked first on Ark Royal and then on Victorious on which they sailed for the Far East and tropical trials returning home in January 1964.
He returned to the Far East to command HMS Puncheston, a Ton-class minesweeper, during the Indonesian Confrontation between Malaysia and Indonesia.
It was with large sampans carrying about fourteen soldiers heading for the east coast of Malaya, presumably to infiltrate and cause damage.
He was steaming in the centre of the passageway when four fast boats were reported approaching from four quarters at high speed and weaving.
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."
The 14 December 1965 was when Clapp actually received his Mention in Dispatches oak leaf plus the Malay Peninsula and Borneo clasps for his General Service Medal (1962) "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'.
