Clive Kemp lied about his age in February 1940 to join the Royal Engineers, as recruits had to be 20 or over and he was keen to follow his older friends to join the fight against Hitler’s Germany.
Fellow D-Day veteran Harry Fenn (93) says Mr Kemp, who was President of the Jersey Normandy Veterans Association, was one of the lucky ones.
He said: ‘He did well to get through the war, as he saw a lot of action. He really went through hell at times but he was just one of the lucky ones. He was just an ordinary man who took it all in stride and he never boasted about what he did. I am very sorry to hear the news of his passing.’
Mr Kemp was among almost 340,000 Allied troops who were evacuated from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk between 26 May and 4 June 1940, in the face of a German onslaught and under constant bombardment from enemy planes. He narrowly avoided becoming a PoW and spending the next fives years in a camp. He was captured by the Germans but managed to escape and made it to the beach.
His lucky streak stayed with him as he dealt with unexploded bombs during the Blitz of London.
Speaking to the JEP in 2013 he said: ‘We were young and didn’t have time or the brains to think how dangerous it was. We’d signed on to do a job, and that’s what we had to do.’
When the Allies invaded Europe on 6 June 1944 – D-Day – Mr Kemp was in a Royal Engineers unit trained to build Bailey bridges. Their orders when they landed on Sword Beach was to lay a bridge across the Caen Canal at Pegasus Bridge. Under constant enemy fire and in spite of losing one of his best friends to a sniper’s bullet, Mr Kemp’s and his unit secured their objective and made one the deepest advances into France that day.
His role in the liberation of France was recognised by the French government, who awarded him the Légion d’Honneur – the country’s highest decoration.
Mr Kemp published his memoirs in the 2013 book Stinker’s Nine Lives, written by broadcaster and military historian Chris Stone. Stinker was the nickname Mr Kemp acquired after falling into the cesspit of a camp latrine.
Mr Stone said: ‘Clive was an inspiration, a lively and compassionate man who always had a twinkle in his eye. He was also living history, a link to some of the most momentous moments of the last century.
‘He always dismissed the word “hero” and described himself as “just an ordinary fellow”. I was proud beyond words that he called me his friend.’
After the Normandy Campaign, Allied troops – including Mr Kemp – advanced from France through the Low Countries, into Germany. Along the way he helped to build 22 major bridges, including the first Bailey bridge over the Rhine.
The Honorary Colonel of the Jersey Field Squadron Royal Engineers, Ken Soar, says he had the pleasure of working with Mr Kemp in civilian life.
‘He will be sadly missed and in his passing he takes part of the history of the Royal Engineers with him. We will forever remember him.’
