“On the afternoon of 22nd May, 1941, near Galatos, Crete, Captain Pleasants personally led a Wellington Company on a raid against parachutists occupying strong positions on the side of the valley from our lines. The Company was held up by very heavy machine-gun fire. Owing to the intense fire it was impossible to make further progress with the men available. The enemy endeavoured to outflank the Company, but Captain Pleasants, by great skill and timed judgement, extricated his Company from a most dangerous and exposed position. During this operation he showed great coolness and bravery in moving about under constant fire, directing the withdrawal. Throughout the whole operations in Crete, Captain Pleasants set a wonderful example of devotion to duty. At all times he carried out his duties under the most adverse circumstances. By his complete disregard of danger, his cheerful demeanour at all times, and his calm acceptance of any situation, he was an inspiration to all ranks.”

Summary Military Service: Brigadier Clive Lochiel Pleasants, CBE DSO MC

Service: 2NZEF, Fiji Military Force

WW2: Greece, Crete, Africa, Italy

post-WW2: New Zealand Regular Army; Commanding Officer Fiji Military Force to Malaya.

Obituary: NZ Herald: 30/3/1988

"War Hero Started out as Teacher

Clive Lochiel Pleasants, a schoolteacher who became a distinguished soldier, died yesterday in Auckland.

Brigadier Pleasants, aged 77, will be honoured in a funeral ceremony with full military honours tomorrow at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral in Parnell and then at Purewa Crematorium.

During the Second World War he commanded infantry and armoured units of battalion, division and brigade strength in Greece, Crete, Egypt and Italy.

He earned the Military Cross while a company commander in the 19th battalion in Crete in 1941, having to lead soldiers out of the region to Egypt after his commanding officer and second-in-command were temporarily lost in the battle.

Commission

He won the DSO the following year while in command of the 18th battalion at Orsogna, Italy, where he was wounded twice.

On his return to New Zealand at the end of the war he returned to teaching in Wanganui, but resumed Army life in 1947 when he took up a permanent commission.

Brigadier Pleasants was appointed commandant of Waiouru Military camp in the late 1940s, then commander of the Fiji military forces.

He was made a CBE in 1952 during his term in the islands.

In 1953 he became commander of the northern military district. He went to London in 1964 as Army liaison officer, retiring at the end of the following year."