Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Acting Lance Corporal A. Burdett, 1st Dragoon Guards and Machine Gun Corps, who died of wounds received in action on the Western Front on 9 January 1918

1914 Star (1325 Pte. A. Burdett. 1/D.Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (1325 Pte. A. Burdett. 1-D.Gds.); Memorial Plaque (Albert Burdett) with card envelope and named lid to medal box, nearly extremely fine (4) £160-£200

Albert Burdett was born in Norwich in 1887 and attested for the 1st King’s Dragoon Guards at Aldershot on 30 October 1907. Posted with the Regiment to Ambala in India, he returned home to England in the autumn of 1914 and served in France from 11 October 1914. Transferred to the Machine Gun Corps 13 May 1916, he served with the 125th Company on the Western Front from October 1917, a letter from the recipient to his wife Marie describing his experiences:
‘The havoc wrought is terrible and I’m sure some of the survivors of our onslaught must be nerve wracked or insane now. A host of prisoners came in yesterday, nearly all in civilian clothes... so it is evident that they are at least short of uniform.’

Burdett survived the Battle of Passchendale but died of wounds in January 1918 at No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station, which at that time was stationed in the commune of Elnes in the Pas-de-Calais. A contemporary letter written by the recipient’s commanding officer, adds:
‘He was always ready & willing to do any work asked of him and his enthusiasm and keenness was taken up by the men under him with zeal. I went over to his funeral today to Chocques, a little village some kilometres from Bethune, where he was buried by the Roman Catholic priest in charge of the C.C.S. in which he passed away...’

A second account confirms that Burdett died from severe wounds to the head in consequence of a shell bursting close to him. Aged 31 years, he is buried at Chocques Military Cemetery.

Sold with an extremely comprehensive archive of original documentation and ephemera, including Second Class Certificate of Education; enlistment documentation; correspondence between the recipient and his wife during the war; two letters informing the recipient’s widow of his death; Record Office slips regarding medals; original photograph of the recipient’s grave provided by the Director of Graves Registration & Enquiries; copied photographs of Burdett and his wife; Soldier’s prayer book, card and aluminium dog tags and silk postcards; original base metal identity bracelet, this impressed ‘A. Burdett. R.C. 47029 Cav. M.G. Squad.’; the recipient’s pipe, leather tobacco pouch, this still retaining tobacco, and a hallmarked silver vesta case; with correspondence between Marie Burdett and the Quinlan Opera Company Ltd., latterly regarding training and employment in operatic theatre.