Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War Mentioned in Despatches group of three attributed to Sergeant E. Herman, Woman’s Auxiliary Air Force, who later served at Bletchley Park and ‘Y’ Station, Sheringham, Norfolk, and is also believed to have served with the Special Operations Executive

1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, unnamed as issued, court mounted for display purposes, very fine (3) £180-£220

M.I.D. London Gazette, 14 January 1944.

Edita ‘Dita’ Herman was born into a wealthy Jewish family in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1920. Having arrived alone in England as a refugee shortly before the start of the Second War, she attested into the Czechoslovakian section of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and was fluent in Czech, Russian, German and English. Advanced Sergeant, she was Mentioned in Despatches on 14 January 1944 and saw later service at Bletchley Park and ‘Y’ Station, Sheringham, Norfolk. Converting to Roman Catholicism, she later learnt that, excepting one cousin, her entire family had perished during the Holocaust.

Post-War she continued to serve and met her husband William Balmer M.C., at Celle, Germany, in 1946. They later married in Corby, Northamptonshire, in 1948, and eventually settled in Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne, where she died, aged 91, on 25 June 2012.

At the memorial mass held in her memory, her eulogy referred to her service behind enemy lines on three occasions during the Second War, ostensibly as a member of the Special Operations Executive, which may possibly account for the award of a Mention in Despatches; however, this is unconfirmed and requires further research and is thus sold accordingly. In July 2009, she was awarded a GC & CS Bletchley Park and Outstations Badge, which is sold with this lot, together with its original box of issue, and a photocopy of the named award certificate.

Also sold with copied research, a photocopy photograph of the recipient in uniform, a large file of copied research including copied correspondence from family members, two copies of her memorial mass card, an RAF Cap Badge and two cloth badges.