Orders, Decorations and Medals

A group of four awarded to Petty Officer Mechanic D. A. Byford, Royal Naval Air Service, who was awarded the Russian Medal for Zeal for service with the Armoured Car Division in Russia

1914-15 Star (F.3373 P.O.M., R.N.A.S.); British War and Victory Medals (F.3373 P.O.M., R.N.A.S.); Russia, Medal for Zeal, Nicholas II, small, silver, unnamed, on ‘St. Stanislaus’ ribbon, good very fine (4) £600-700

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Royal Naval Air Service and Armoured Car Squadrons.

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David Arthur Byford was born in Foxearth Sudbury on 15 March 1884. A Driver by occupation, he enlisted into the R.N.A.S. as a Petty Officer Mechanic on 12 February 1915. Posted to No.3 Squadron in November 1915, he embarked for Russia on 1 December. His official record of service states:

‘Aug.-Septr. 1916. On detached service on Caucasian Front. Charbork. Novr.-Decr. On detached service in Dobrudsha. Topolul. Decr. Jan. 17. On detached service in Roumania. Tudor Vladimerescu. Awarded Silver Breast Medal with St. Stanislaus ribbon for hard work. 7th July 1917. Left Tiraspol Base for Service in Galicia. Doobsche. 27th July. Left Proskurov Base for Archangel en route to England. Sick. Died in Hospital at Napsbury’.

The son of William and Harriet Byford and husband of Jessie Agnes Byford, he died on 14 September 1917, aged 33 years and was buried in Chorleywood Road Cemetery.