Sir James Arnold Stacey CleminsonKBE MC (31 August 1921 – 14 September 2010) was a prominent British soldier and businessman who was decorated for his service during the Battle of Arnhem after fighting in the North African Campaign and escaping while a prisoner of war in the Italian Campaign during the Second World War. He subsequently became chief executive, and then chairman, of Reckitt & Colman. Active from that period in the Confederation of British Industry, he became its president in 1984.
Cleminson was born in 1921 in Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, to businessman Arnold Cleminson and his wife, Dr Florence Stacey-Cleminson, a physician at Victoria Children's Hospital. Clemison attended Rugby School; in 1940, immediately after leaving, he was called up for war service. He fought in the North African Campaign and was captured, being taken to Italy as a prisoner of war. There he escaped and walked through enemy lines to rejoin his regiment during the Italian Campaign. He subsequently joined the Parachute Regiment as a captain and participated in the Battle of Arnhem, where his platoon ambushed and killed the German garrison commander Major-General Friedrich Kussin. During the fighting, Cleminson found himself trapped in an attic with Major-General Roy Urquhart, who took exception to Cleminson's moustache, which he called "damned silly". For three days he fought in the village of Oosterbeek until he was wounded and captured. For his defence of the perimeter, Cleminson was awarded the Military Cross. He was later featured in the film A Bridge Too Far, played by Michael Graham Cox.[1]
In early 1945, Cleminson was freed by American forces and accompanied Urquhart to Norway at the end of the conflict. On demobilisation in 1946, Cleminson joined his father's firm, which had merged with J. J. Colman to form Reckitt & Colman. The company produced a wide array of household goods. Cleminson advanced rapidly in the food division, known as Colman's, and was appointed to the Reckitt & Colman board. From 1973 he was chief executive and from 1976 chairman. In 1980 he also took a position with the Confederation of British Industry, which was suffering severely due to the effects of the 1973–75 recession. He remained there until 1986, spending the last two years as president, before retiring from both positions to become chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board.[1][2]
In retirement, Cleminson held a number of chairman and board positions and was particularly active in Norfolk, where he was instrumental in the revitalisation of the Theatre Royal, Norwich. For his services to business, Cleminson was knighted in 1982 and in 1990 was further appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was a keen sportsman.
On Cleminson's death aged 89 in September 2010, he was survived by his wife Judy and three children. He is buried in the graveyard of Barsham Church in Suffolk.[1] Lady Cleminson died in 2019 at the age of 88.
^ abc"Sir James Cleminson". The Daily Telegraph. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 30 September 2010.
^"Sir James Cleminson". The Guardian. 3 October 2010.
Sir James Arnold Stacey Cleminson KBE MC (31 August 1921 – 14 September 2010) was a prominent British soldier and businessman who was decorated for his...
Cleminson is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: JamesCleminson (1921–2010), British soldier and businessman JamesCleminson (1840–1896)...
ZNTK Poznań. The Cleminson system is not a true bogie, but serves a similar purpose. It was based on a patent of 1883 by JamesCleminson, and was once popular...
their making little more progress. The 3rd Battalion under Captain JamesCleminson, KBE, MC, ambushed a German staff car and killed the commander of Arnhem's...
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professor at Sorbonne. Caterina Boratto, 95, Italian film actress. Sir JamesCleminson, 89, British soldier and businessman. Ralph T. Coe, 81, American art...
The principle is similar to that of the radiating axles invented by JamesCleminson of London for railway carriages, which "consists in mounting the axles...
Baroness Donaldson of Lymington, politician (died 2003) 31 August – JamesCleminson, soldier and businessman (died 2010) 1 September Daphne Park, diplomat...
panelists. She was slated for her performance, which the New Statesman's James MacIntyre described as "one of the worst by any panel member I have ever...
of Man Guide - Steam Railway Radial-Axle Passenger Tramcar, by Mr. JamesCleminson MNR No. 4 Caledonia now IOMR No. 15 Locomotive taking water, Kirk Michael...
Catherwood 1975-1979 Earl of Limerick 1979-1983 Earl Jellicoe 1983-1987 Sir JamesCleminson, 1987-1988 "Records of the British Overseas Trade Board | The National...
Max Maxwell – lead vocals Zal Cleminson – guitar Chris Glen – bass guitar Hugh McKenna – keyboards Ted McKenna – drums James Allen – producer Ben Strano...
Palladian Boxes. Yale University Press. p. 223. ISBN 978-0-300-12645-7. Cleminson, Antony (1988). "The Transition from Kingston Hall to Kingston Lacy: The...
to Grey" with Ronson's guitar is available from 27 September 1985. Zal Cleminson took over in the five-piece band, alongside Craig Armstrong on keyboards...
Belfast, the regional capital of Northern Ireland. Peter Blyth and Arran Cleminson (September 2016). "Teaching Excellence Framework: analysis of highly skilled...
police found bomb making equipment in the home of Haladane Cleminson, who told them that James Blottiaux had asked him how to wire a car bomb. Bomb making...
volunteer army in World War I both titled 'A Student in Arms' Sir James Arnold Stacey Cleminson Edmund Musgrave Barttelot, British Army officer who was part...
California Clay Products (Calco) South Gate 1923–1932 Tile The California Cleminsons El Monte 1941–1963 Giftware & figurines California Dresden Glendale 1951–1954...
and find another guitarist. Clem Clempson (Colosseum, Humble Pie), Zal Cleminson (The Sensational Alex Harvey Band), Mick Ronson (The Spiders From Mars)...
consisted of six passenger cars from the United States with a six-wheel Cleminson configuration. With 13.72-metre (45.0-foot) bodies, seating 60 passengers...
the West Robert Kelly Alexander Watson, Zal Cleminson, David Hayman Scotland Western short Sugar Creek James Cotten Dustin Alford, Jeff Bailey United States...
N' Roses, Rock Star Supernova) Frank Claussen (Theatre of Tragedy) Zal Cleminson (Sensational Alex Harvey Band) Henry Cluney (Stiff Little Fingers) Kurt...
(catered) university halls of residence was in Cottingham. These comprised: Cleminson Hall (closed in 2004), Needler Hall (closed in 2016), and Thwaite Hall...
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