Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria including the collection to Naval Artificers formed by JH Deacon

An unusual Second World War Air-Sea Rescue D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Flying Officer H. F. Burditt, Royal Air Force, late Royal Artillery

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse dated 1945; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Efficiency Medal, Territorial, G.VI.R., 1st issue (F./O., D.F.C., R.A.F.), with recent Ex-P.O.W. commemorative, extremely fine, the Efficiency Medal rare (8) £800-1000

D.F.C. London Gazette 29 May 1945. The recommendation states:

‘On 16 October 1944, Flying Officer Burditt, commanding ‘D’ Flight, No. 293 Squadron, rescued Lieutenant Slatton of 85 Fighter Squadron, 79 Fighter Group, who was in the sea in his Mae West, five miles off shore, 15 miles north of Rimini.

On 21 October 1944, this same Officer, in a Walrus, was homed by Warwick ‘T’ to a man in the sea, eight miles south of Venice and four miles from the shore. The smoke-float marker beside the man was being shelled by the enemy shore batteries, but with no hesitation or regard for personal safety, Flying Officer Burditt went straight in and landed beside the marker to rescue. The enemy commenced to shell the aircraft, which was hit and the ailerons damaged. Flying Officer Burditt then taxied his aircraft under continuous shell-fire for five miles to rescue another man found by Warwick ‘T’, who was clinging to a crashed aircraft mainwheel. The Walrus crew informed the Warwick that they could not take-off from the sea, but would taxy back to base. They then asked for a relief aircraft to which they could transfer the rescues. As the Walrus completed the second rescue, and was moving away from the smoke-float, the last fall of shot fell on the marker, a few yards from the aircraft. From then on there was no further radio contact with the Walrus. Flying Officer Burditt continued taxying out of shell-range, leaving an oil streak in the sea, and later transferred his two rescues to a Catalina. He then continued to taxy the Walrus towards base. At dusk, he hove-to in a rising sea, and informed covering aircraft that he would be O.K. until morning. Searches flown in the morning, after a stormy night, found no trace of the Walrus.

Both Flying Officer Burditt and his Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, Flying Officer I. Morgan, have since been reported as Prisoners of War.

The exceptional courage needed in devotion to duty, and the complete disregard for personal safety shown in the face of an enemy whose opposition had every advantage, was consistent with the highest ideals of Air-Sea Rescue and worthy of the highest praise.’

Harold Frederick Burditt was interned in Stalag Luft 3 at Sagan, scene of the famous “Great Escape”.