The great escapes of a paratrooper who survived a firing squad, escaped from a prisoner of war camp and was shot four times in battle have emerged after his medals were put up for auction.

Lieutenant Percy 'Clem' Clements became one of the most highly-decorated soldiers of the Second World War for his heroics and acts of bravery.

Now the Nottingham-born soldier's medals, along with a map he used to escape from the Italian camp, a diary he kept while on the run and a memo written as he lay injured in the 1944 Battle of the Bulge have been put up for sale by his family, with the awards expected to sell for £40,000.

Great escapes: Second World War Paratrooper Lieutenant Percy 'Clem' Clements survived a firing squad, escaped from a prisoner of war camp and was shot four times in battle

Medal haul: Lt Clements became one of the most highly-decorated soldiers of the Second World War for his heroics and acts of bravery, receiving the Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Cross and Military Medal

Lt Clements was a founding member of the airborne SAS and was involved in the very first British paratroop drop over Italy in 1941.

A group of 35 men, including Lt Clements, were captured after the successful mission to blow up an aquaduct. They were stripped and lined up against a wall in front of 20 irate civilians armed with shotguns.

However, just as the order to fire was about to be given, an Italian army officer arrived on horseback and put a stop to the summary execution that would have been in breach of the Geneva Convention.

Lt Clements then spent two and a half years in a PoW camp during which time he established clandestine communications between fellow captured officers and the War Office.

He managed to escape in 1943 and spent 22 days walking more than 100 miles to reach the advancing Allied forces in Italy.

Troop: Clements is pictured in the back row, immediately to the right of the parachute hole, alongside his comrades from Xi Troop, 11 SAS Battallion at Tatton Park in Cheshire before their deployment

Lt Clements rejoined his battalion and went into the Ardennes Forest in Belgium during the infamous Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

Heavily outnumbered and facing German Tiger tanks in one action, he led his men in a fighting withdrawal and was shot four times, in the stomach, arm and leg.

His two stretcher bearers were killed as they carried him but he continued to direct the retreat while lying down until he passed out from blood loss.

Lt Clements won the prestigious Distinguished Conduct Medal, Military Cross and Military Medal for his bravery, with the medal group being sold at London auction house Spinks later this month.

Tools: A tiny Escaper's Compass, used by Lt Clements during his escape from the prisoner of war camp

Being auctioned alongside it is a tiny compass in the form of a button, a covert map he used during his escape in Italy and the diary documenting his escape.

There is also an incredible note Lt Clements started to write as he lay wounded in the Ardennes. The message was to summon an ambulance for injured comrades but he passed out before he could finish it.

'Clem Clements’ medals are very rare group, quite possibly unique in terms of the combination of gallantry awards,' said Mark Quayle from Spinks.

'He was one of the most decorated airborne troops of the Second World War who never knew when he was beaten. He kept coming back for more up until the point he was wounded four times on the same occasion.

We were marched over to a bare patch where the bodies lay and a very hysterical civilian with two pistols assumed charge of a firing squad of 12 civilians armed with some ancient double and single barrel shotguns Lt Percy 'Clem' Clements

'The fact that he survived a fire squad tells you just how remarkable his story of survival was.'

Lt Clements, from Nottingham, joined the army in 1928 and following the outbreak of the Second World War volunteered for special service.

The British airborne unit was formed at the behest of Winston Churchill and carried out Operation Colossus in February 1941.

After blowing up the Tragino Aqueduct, the group were sent to meet up with a Royal Navy submarine off the coast 80 miles away.

But they were hunted down by a mob of 250 civilians, and a member of the raiding party shot and killed two Italians before the soldiers surrendered.

Lt Clements said in an interview later: 'We were marched over to a bare patch where the bodies lay and a very hysterical civilian with two pistols assumed charge of a firing squad of 12 civilians armed with some ancient double and single barrel shotguns.'

One ringleader incited the crowd to avenge the death of the two locals and show no mercy to the British troops. He reached the point of raising his arm to command the firing squad to take aim.

'What saved us was the fact the hysterical chap liked to hear himself talk and while he was still raving a W.O of the carabinieri came up and took over,' Lt Clements wrote.

After his escape and march to freedom while being pursued by the Germans, Lt Clements was awarded the DCM for his ‘gallant and distinguished service’ as a PoW and subsequent escape.

Prisoners: 'X' troop prisoners at Sulmona Camp, where Lt Clements was held for two and a half years, during which time he established clandestine communications between fellow captured officers and the War Office. He managed to escape in 1943

He was commissioned into the 12th Parachute Regiment in August 1944 and four months later was sent in to Belgium.

His platoon were ordered to occupy a hill overlooking the town of Bure but found themselves virtually surrounded by German forces.

Lt Clements gave orders to withdraw but was shot in the stomach. Despite the severity of his wound he continued to give orders and successfully extracted his men before he was hit three more times and eventually passed out.

He was awarded the Military Cross for leading his men with distinction against heavy armour and was later awarded the Military Medal for his outstanding leadership.

After the war, Lt Clements took up a civilian post with the Ministry of Defence in Shropshire, where he moved with wife Eileen. He died in 1998.

His son is Brigadier David Clements who served in Iraq as deputy to American general David Patraeus.

'His wounds (which he only survived because of his exceptional fitness) meant that he had to leave the Army after his recovery and he then worked until his retirement as a Civil Servant in the Ministry of Defence,' wrote Brig Clements in a piece for historical website ParaData.

'Clem Clements was a modest man and was embarrassed to be regarded as one of the most highly decorated members of the airborne forces he helped found.

'All who served with him paid tribute to his courage, determination and inspirational leadership. Younger men on the parachute raid, and later in the POW Camp, came to value his advice, assistance and irrepressible humour. All agree that he was indeed "a man among men" and one of the great fighting soldiers of the British Army.'