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Australia

Ronald Alfred Flinders Clemens was born at Crystal Brook, South Australia, on 16 July 1919, the son of Arthur Clemens and Isabella Douglas Butler. At the outbreak of World War II Ronald was living with his family and working as a labourer. His service record shows that his home address was “Eden, South Australia” and it is assumed that this refers to the Eden Valley area east of the Barossa.

He enlisted in the 2nd AIF on 6 July 1940 and on 9 September was taken on strength as a member of the 2/48th Infantry Battalion after training with the 2nd Infantry Training Depot. The battalion was based in the Wayville Showgrounds and training undertaken in the nearby parklands.

Forming part of the 26th Brigade along with the 2/23rd and 2/24th Battalions, it was assigned to the 7th Division during its initial training period but was later transferred with the rest of the 26th Brigade to the 9th Division. After pre-embarkation leave, the battalion undertook three weeks of collective training at Woodside, in October. The following month, the battalion marched through the city of Adelaide before its deployment overseas, and shortly afterwards embarked for North Africa. Entraining at Oakbank, after undertaking a 4.5-mile (7.2 km) route march in full equipment, the battalion embarked upon the troopship Stratheden on 17 November 1940; the large transport set sail the following day.

Sailing via Colombo where the troops were given a brief shore leave, the Stratheden entered the Suez Canal in mid-December 1940. Upon arrival in the Middle East, the battalion briefly occupied a camp at El Kantara, before moving to Dimra, in Palestine. At Dimra, the battalion joined the rest of the 26th Brigade for the first time, and undertook further training until March 1941. At this time, it moved to Cyrenica, along with the rest of the 9th Division, to undertake further training in the desert and relieve the 6th Division deploying to Greece. Shortly after this, the Germans landed forces in Africa to reinforce the Italians and as the Axis went on the offensive, the British and Commonwealth forces in Libya were forced to retreat from Benghazi to the strategically important port town of Tobruk. In early April, the 2/48th fell back as part of the general retreat, setting up a blocking position around Tmimi during the withdrawal to prevent a German force cutting the division's route along the coast road. After eight days of constant movement through the desert, the battalion reached the port. They subsequently took part in the defence of Tobruk, where the battalion saw its first action of the North African Campaign for which it would receive one of its many battle honours.

The 2/48th first entered Tobruk's defences on 9 April 1941 with the rest of the 9th Division commanded by Lieutenant General Leslie Morshead. Instructed to hold the fortress for eight weeks by General Archibald Wavell, Commander-in-Chief of British Middle East Command, the 9th Division ended up defending the fortress for over eight months before being gradually withdrawn. The defensive system at Tobruk consisted of several lines: the outer position consisted of scattered perimeter posts and reserve company positions and was dubbed the "Red Line", while the secondary defence system, which was about 2 miles (3.2 km) behind the "Red Line", was dubbed the "Blue Line". During this time the battalion alternated between occupying part of the main defence line, working in the rear areas, and conducting patrols. In mid-April, while the battalion was stationed in the western sector, these patrols resulted in the battalion capturing virtually the entire 1st Battalion of the Italian 62nd Regiment, Trento Division, totalling nearly 800 officers and men. Later that month, the 2/48th took part in a daylight raid on a hill opposite their perimeter, behind which the Italians were massing artillery, tanks and infantry. Supported by British tanks from the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, the raid caught the defenders by surprise, resulting in the capture of over 360 more Italians, as well as large quantities of weapons and vehicles for only light casualties. In late May, a 2/48th patrol snuck out from the perimeter overnight, and evading German patrols, pushed 5 miles (8.0 km) south, where they set up an ambush and laid a series of land mines along a bypass track that was being used by German supply lorries, two of which were subsequently destroyed. In July, the battalion moved to the Bardia road sector, opposite the Italians. By October, the majority of the 9th Division, including the 2/48th Battalion, was withdrawn by sea as the British 70th Division arrived to take over the garrison. Overall, the 2/48th suffered 160 casualties at Tobruk, including 38 men killed and another 18 who died of their wounds.

After Tobruk, the 9th Division was sent to Palestine and Syria to train and rest and undertake garrison duties as part of the Allied occupation force that had been established their following the Syria–Lebanon campaign. Under their new commander, Lieutenant Colonel Heathcote Hammer—who had assumed command after Windeyer took over the 20th Brigade—the 2/48th proceeded to train in high terrain and temperatures.

In late June 1942, Axis forces commanded by General Erwin Rommel, crossed the Egyptian frontier as part of an offensive aimed at capturing Alexandria. After making a brief stand around Mersa Matruh, the British Eighth Army was forced to withdraw towards the Alamein line. In response, the 9th Division was transported south from Syria, and hurriedly committed to First Battle of El Alamein. On 1 July, Rommel's forces launched a determined assault on the Alamein line, and on 7 July the 9th Division was ordered to launch a counter-attack. As part of this plan, the 2/48th was ordered to traverse the coastline and capture the Trig 33 ridge north of the "Tel el Eisa" station, commencing their attack shortly before dawn on 10 July. After an initial artillery bombardment that disrupted the Italian troops, the main objective of the attack (Trig 33) was captured and 400 Italians were taken prisoner. The 2/48th then advanced south and captured Tel el Eisa station, which was successfully defended against a number of Axis counter-attacks. On 22 July, the battalion was ordered to capture West Point 24 on the Tel El Eisa ridge which was held by heavily entrenched Axis forces. However, after initial success, the 2/48th came under heavy artillery and mortar fire and was forced to withdraw, having suffered over 100 casualties. For actions during this attack, Private Stan Gurney was awarded the battalion's first Victoria Cross (VC) after he captured a machine-gun post and bayoneted the gun crew that was firing on his company, and then went on to capture a second post before being killed while taking a third. In total, the 2/48th suffered 215 casualties in the period 7 July to 23 October 1942, with 64 men killed, six dying of their wounds and 125 wounded.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2/48th_Battalion_(Australia)

Among the men killed during the Tel El Eisa Ridge attack was Private Ronald Alfred Flinders Clemens. He was buried at the El Alamein War Cemetery, Plot B, Row B, Grave 26.