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  1. #1

    Default Donovan Harold Clibborn

    I am searching for information on D H Clibborn, born 1917 - died 1996. According to his obituary he was an intelligence officer who served at Bletchley Park, then transferred at some point to North Africa where he liaised with the Long Range Desert Group, went on to Sicily and then Italy with Montgomery and ended the war at the surrender of Brussels. He finished the war as a major.

    I have found him in the London Gazette of 14th Jan. 1941, heading "Intelligence Corps": The undermentioned Cadets, from Sandhurst and 162nd O.T.C.U.'s to be 2nd Lts. 21st Dec. 1940.... Donovan Harold Clibborn (162736)

    I would be very grateful if anyone can help me put some firm dates, etc. on his war activities.

  2. #2
    Super Moderator christanel's Avatar
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    Default

    Hello Jenny and welcome to the British-Genealogy forums.
    If you came to us from Forces War records reading this will tell you a little about us and what we do.
    WW11 service records are still held by the MoD so are not online. You can apply for them but it will cost 30 pounds and you will need a copy of his death certificate. The information you would receive depends on when he died. This 'sticky' explains and gives the necessary links.
    Here is The National Archives guide to WW11 war diaries which may give some general information.
    Christina
    Sometimes paranoia is just having all the facts.
    William Burroughs

  3. #3
    Name well known on Brit-Gen
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    Default

    If you google the full name you get 12+ hits including an entry as Ambassador to El Salvador

  4. #4

    Default

    Thanks for your trouble. Yes I have all the biographical detail. It's his war service that has me stumped.

  5. #5

    Default

    For that, you need to get his service record. Chris gave the info in message 2.

  6. #6

  7. #7
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
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    Default

    Hello Jenny.
    I teach History at Donovan's old school, Ilford County High School, and at present we are researching about him as part of an
    Art/History project. As a result, I am going through the school magazines from the war years and there are some details of his progress. For example,in the spring of 1940, the School magazine reported that, ‘after a brilliant career at Oxford and the winning of a Laming Travelling Fellowship in Modern Languages, (Donovan) entered last June for the examination for the consular service. He passed at the head of the list and was appointed Vice-Consul at Genoa. He entered upon his duties last December.’
    If you are still interested in his activites, let me know and I will give more details as I come across them.
    Regards
    Andrew

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