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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 590

A Tank Corps 1918 M.C. group of four awarded to Captain E. P. S. Burnett, South Staffordshire Regiment late 11th Battalion, Tank Corps, an Old Harrovian who was commissioned in 1915 and escaped the mining of 'Gibson's Crater' in 1915- which all but buried his company- only by dint of being wounded earlier in the day

Burnett carried his gallantry forward to the Tank Corps where he won his laurels for the capture of Walincourt

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (2. Lieut. E. P. S. Burnett. S. Staff. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. E. P. S. Burnett.), mounted as worn by Spink & Son, in an attractive fitted display case by Spink&Son, sometime cleaned, overall good very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 10 December 1919, the original citation states:

'Lt. (T./Capt.) Edward Percival Sevier Burnett, S. Staffs. R., Spec. Res., secd. 11th Bn., Tank Corps. On 8th October, 1918, at Villers Outreaux he effected liaison with the infantry when they seemed hesitating to follow the tanks. By his personal direction on that occasion the formidable series of trenches and defences were captured at small cost to the infantry. His courage and leadership inspired all the crews of his section and was the means of bringing the infantry on to their correct objectives at a minimum of cost. He was continually passing from tanks to infantry and infantry to tanks, often under intense machine gun and shellfire, with the utmost unconcern. He performed his duties in the same fearless and untiring cheerful manner in the actions of Oct 21 at Selle River and Oct 23 near Forest, and by his example inspired his section who were much exhausted by the prolonged fighting, and continual repairs on the much worn tanks.'

Edward Percival Sevier Burnett was born at Mottram, Cheshire in 1894, the son of William Burnett, a Surgeon and later Lieutenant-Colonel in the Cheshire Volunteer Corps. Educated at Harrow he was initially with one of the Small Houses-residences for students who could not be fitted into larger houses, before joining Warner's House.

Joining and Officer Cadet programme on the outbreak of the war Burnett was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 1 November 1914 with the 3rd Battalion, Staffordshire Regiment Entering the war in France in June 1915 attached to the 2nd Battalion he saw action at the Battle of Loos where the battalion advanced in the region of the Le Bassee Canal, where Captain Kilby was awarded the V.C. for his bravery.

Doubtless as a result of the casualties in this bloody engagement Burnett was promoted Captain on 27 October 1915. He was stationed with the Battalion at Gibson's Crater the next month on 24 November 1915 when he was wounded by a rifle-grenade. Just a few hours later the German's detonated a mine beneath the feature which buried the entire garrison with the exception of two men.

Transferring to the newly formed Tank Corps Burnett joined 11th Battalion and went into action in an infantry Liaison roll on 8 October 1918 when they advanced on the Beaurevior line. Here he performed the acts of gallantry described in his citation, bringing the infantry up to support the tanks under heavy fire. The tanks suffered heavy losses in the fighting, losing half their starting number of fourteen.

Three days later Burnett was in action again, during actions around the Selle river, the crossing was a remarkable action with the Royal Engineers constructing a sleeper bridge beneath the water level during the night. This allowed the tanks to advance during the day and cross the river at a point where the German's could not see any crossing point. Two days later an enormous force of thirty-seven tanks went into action taking the entire sweep of the forest of Mormal. These actions saw some 3,000 Germans taken prisoner with a great deal of credit going to the tanks.

Burnett's medals were issued in November 1927 and he went on to see service in the Second World War being commissioned Lieutenant with the Royal Army Service Corps on 23 January 1940. It is unclear whether he qualified for any medals during this period however and he died in September 1953, sold together with copied research.

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Estimate

Starting price
£550