Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Private H. Philburn, 12th (Yorkshire Regiment) Battalion, Parachute Regiment, Army Air Corps, who was dropped into France shortly after midnight on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and was killed in action three days later at Longueval, 9 June 1944

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Army Council enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. F. A. Philburn, ...Newcastle...’, address label on box slightly torn, nearly extremely fine (4) £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

View
Collection

Herbert Philburn served during the Second World War with the 12th (Yorkshire Regiment) Battalion, Parachute Regiment, formed from the 10th (East Riding) Battalion, Green Howards, in May 1943. They became part of the 6th Airborne Division and formed the 5th Parachute Brigade with the 7th and 13th Battalions.

The Battalion was dropped into France shortly after midnight on D-Day, 6 June 1944, their objectives being the area in and around the village of Ranville. By 4:00
a.m. the Battalion was digging in and covering the eastern approach roads to the bridges over the River Orne and Canal de Caen. There was some hard and bloody fighting throughout D-Day, but by the end of the day the 6th Airborne Division was firmly in control of Ranville and the villages around it; all the objectives had been achieved; the Orne and Caen bridges captured; and the bridge over the Dives destroyed.

At 10:00 a.m. on 9 June intelligence was received that the enemy were leaving St. Honorine. The 12th Battalion was ordered to move down to Longueval to take over the defence of that village; later that day a tremendous barrage of mortar and artillery fire crashed into the village and a number of casualties were taken.

Philburn was amongst those killed at Longueval, aged 24. He is buried in Ranville War Cemetery, France. His medals were sent to his widow Florence Philburn.