otion ▁to ▁duty ▁at ▁B ante ux ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 3 0 th ▁September , ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁when ▁he ▁made ▁a ▁personal ▁reconna issance ▁under ▁heavy ▁machine - gun ▁fire ▁to ▁as certain ▁the ▁possibilities ▁of ▁brid ging ▁the ▁Canal ▁de ▁L ' Es ca ut . ▁ ▁Victoria ▁Cross ▁A ▁few ▁weeks ▁later ▁the ▁action ▁took ▁place ▁for ▁which ▁Cl out man ▁won ▁his ▁V C . ▁The ▁official ▁c itation ▁read : ▁ ▁The ▁bridge ▁had ▁been ▁prepared ▁for ▁demol ition ▁by ▁the ▁Germ ans , ▁and ▁was ▁well ▁def ended . ▁By ▁cutting ▁the ▁w ires , ▁Cl out man ▁prevent ed ▁the ▁enemy ▁from ▁blow ing ▁it ▁up ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁He ▁was ▁seen ▁at ▁the ▁bridge , ▁however , ▁and ▁escaped ▁under ▁an ▁inten se ▁fire ▁from ▁its ▁gu ards . ▁The ▁fact ▁that ▁the ▁ab ut ments ▁were ▁not ▁destroyed ▁later ▁meant ▁that ▁the ▁bridge ▁could ▁be ▁more ▁quickly ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁Al lies . ▁ ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁last ▁act ▁to ▁win ▁a ▁V C ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War . ▁ ▁Later ▁career ▁After ▁the ▁war ▁Cl out man ▁became ▁a ▁lawyer ▁and ▁was ▁called ▁to ▁the ▁Bar ▁at ▁Gray ' s ▁Inn ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 . ▁In ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁he ▁served ▁again ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers ▁and ▁received ▁a ▁mention ▁in ▁des patch es . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁King ' s ▁Coun sel ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁and ▁in ▁