Maj P. A. Clayton (second from right) with officers of the Free French party which joined the LRDG for the Fezzan raids in January 1941, and whose camels had brought petrol in cases through the Tibesti Mountains. Lt-Col J. C. d’Ornano is second from the left. D’Ordano was killed  during the LRDG’s attack on Murzuk, on 11 January 1941. He was at the same truck as Clayton and was hit by a machine-gun bullet through his throat at close range. Col d”Ornano was the Commander of FF forces that fought along with LRDG that day.

Checking up

Major Patrick  Andrew Clayton (DSO MBE), formerly a British Surveyor, was the Commander of the New Zealander’s “T” Patrol Unit  of the LRDG. In the picture, he is standing in front of the Chevrolet truck T2 “Te Taniwha”. Lybia, 1940. Major Clayton was hurt and captured by Italians of the Compagnia Sahariana at the ambush at Gebel Sheriff (January 31, 1941) and remained a POW in Italy until the Armistice on 8 September 1943. After being released, he remained free in Italy, until 9 January 1944, when he ended up in German captivity. He was liberated on 12 April 1945 by US advancing forces, while in a POW camp in Czechoslovakia. He died suddenly of a massive aneurism on 17 March 1962, at the age of 66.  

Major P. A. Clayton LRDG

The badge of the LRDG depicted a black scorpion with the letters LRDG centered below it, within a silver circle. It was designed by “Bluey” Grimsey, who served in the unit. The badge presented a light resemblance to the badge of Italian Compagnia Auto-Sahariana which depicted a crab within a circle. Originally, LRDG's badge was a brooch pinned to LDRG members’ sweaters. They were made by jewelry makers of Cairo. Within a short time, such brooches started to be pinned to the black berets of Royal Tank Regiment. 