Ken Clift

Kenneth Rochester Clift DCM (January 1916 - July 2009) (Service No. NX3698) is an Australian recipient of the Distinguished Conduct Medal and author of The Saga of a Sig (1972) during his time with the 6th Division Signals.

In 2007 the Defence Force School of Signals (DFSS) Holding Troop was renamed in his honor "Ken Clift Troop" Ken attended the service at the age of 91.

The war
The day after war was declared, Clift enlisted with the Second AIF and sailed in the first convoy to Palestine. He saw service in Libya, Egypt, Bardia, Tobruk, Greece and Crete then, while returning to Australia, stopped in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), where he completed a commando selection course. He later fought in the Kokoda Track campaign.

He entered the war as a signaller in the 2/1st Battalion (part of the 16 Brigade, 6th Division) and was discharged as a Lieutenant in the 1st Australian Parachute Battalion in October 1945. He was in hospital when the war ended, after fracturing his back in a parachute jump. He always said that being a corporal was the easiest rank to get, noting that he was promoted to it four times in one year - and was busted back down again the same number of times.

Clift was regarded as a near miss for the VC - in Tobruk in 1941. He and two other linesmen, working ahead of the advancing troops, took on a battery of Italian field guns protected by machine-guns. With a cry of "At them, boys", Clift lead the charge - between them they had with two pistols, a rifle and a few grenades - to capture the guns and about sixty enemy soldiers.

Tributes
Ken Clifts funeral was at a Sydney crematorium, all Clifts' friends and family attended also a number of soldiers from the "Clift troop" attended the service and made a guard of honour for Ken's coffin. There was so many people at the crematorium for the service that they completely filled the building which meant a number of people had to stand outside looking in through the door to see the service.

"The Clift troop" was another tribute to Clift in 2007. Clift attended the service as did some of his family. the troop formally known as "DFSS Holding Troop" put work in researching Clifts' life and some of the soldiers put on a presentation and a speech on their research. Clift also spoke at the service, complimenting and thanking the troop for their work.

2009
On the 22nd of July 2009 Clift died at the age of 93 at a Sydney Hospital in Bondi at roughly 1:15 am he was surrounded by family. Ken is survived by his wife Valrie and their children Kenneth, Ian, Patricia White and Denise Redmond sixteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren as well as his sisters Laurel O'Neill and Patricia Young and younger brother Don.

Books

 * Clift, Kenneth Rochester. (1972). The Saga of A Sig Published by K.C.D. Publications.
 * Clift, Kenneth Rochester. (1976). The soldier who never grew up Published by Haldane Publishing Co.

He also wrote War Dance: a Story of the 2/3 Australian Infantry Battalion AIF. He wrote a play, Sister Street, based on his war experiences, which was performed for Anzac Day in 2003.