He married Dorothy Irene Deakin at the United Reformed Church in Belmont, Lancashire in 1941,[2] and they lived in Egerton, near Bolton.

Sandys-Clarke was a 23-year-old lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire), British Army during the Second World War when he was awarded the VC.

On 23 April 1943 at Guiriat El Atach, Tunisia, Lieutenant Clarke's company was counter-attacked and almost wiped out, he being the sole remaining officer.

Although wounded in the head, he gathered a composite platoon together and advancing to attack the position again met heavy fire from a machine-gun post.

He manoeuvred his men to give covering fire and then tackled the post single-handed, killing or capturing the crew and knocking out the gun.