Parade accolade: Ken Clift, DCM, inspects soldiers of the Holding Troop renamed in his honour. Photo by WO2 Greg Herdson
THE Defence Force School of Signals (DFSS) has renamed its Holding Troop in honour of a war hero.
The Ken Clift Troop was named after World War II veteran Kenneth Clift, DCM.
The sprightly 91-year-old was the guest of honour at the parade, during which he inspected the soldiers of the newly named troop and unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.
“It is indeed an honour, and one of the highlights of my life to have the troop named after me,” Mr Clift said.
“I am particularly impressed with the quality of the soldiers on parade. I can see that many of the qualities when I was a soldier can be seen in those on the parade today.”
The naming of the platoon was proposed by a former DFSS RSM, WO1 Leanne Iseppi, to inspire the qualities of courage, loyalty, initiative and teamwork in new trainees at DFSS.
Kenneth Clift served as a signalman in 16 Bde and saw service in Egypt, Libya, Greece and Sri Lanka, where he completed a commando selection course. He later deployed to Port Moresby and fought in the Kokoda campaign.
Cpl Clift was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1941 when he and two fellow linesmen, who were laying line ahead of the advancing troops, took on a battery of Italian field guns, which were protected by machineguns.
With the cry of “at them, boys” Cpl Clift and his team – armed with only two pistols, a rifle and a few grenades – leapt into battle, capturing the guns and about 60 enemy soldiers.
Upon his return to Australia, Sgt Clift attended the Officer Cadet Training unit in Adelaide and discharged from the AIF as a lieutenant in October 1945.
