The Lost Oasis of Zerzura: a personal album of Sir Robert Clayton East Clayton and Count László Almásy's Libyan expedition, 1932

Sir Robert Clayton East Clayton, Bt. married Dorothy Mary Durrant on 29 February 1932. In May 1932 during a six-month leave from the Royal Navy, Sir Robert, accompanied by his wife, led an aerial expedition with the Hungarian Count László d'Almásy into the Libyan desert to locate the legendary lost oasis of Zerzura. They were joined by Squadron Leader H.W.G.J. Penderel and Patrick Clayton. Though they catalogued prehistoric rock art sites, including the Cave of Swimmers and Gilf Kebir, the expedition had its difficulties, at one stage getting lost in the desert for 23 days during which time Sir Robert and other members were without food for 36 hours. Whilst in Libya Sir Robert contracted a virus which led to his death, on 1 September 1932, from acute anterior poliomyelitis after his return to England.

Following her husband's death Lady Clayton made a second attempt to discover the lost oasis in February 1933, accompanied by Lt.-Comdr. Raundall, but was unsuccessful. In June that year she undertook a trek in Lapland, returning to England not long before her death on 15 September 1933 at Brooklands aerodrome, Surrey, when she jumped from her moving Spartan Arrow plane after the throttle lever broke as she was preparing to take-off.

Michael Ondaatje's 1992 novel The English Patient draws in part upon the explorations by László and the Clayton East Claytons in Libya.