Fg.Off Percival Ross-Frames Burton MID 17/3/1941

[Andy Saunders]

Fg Off Percy Burton of 249 Squadron had a MID which was Gazetted on 17 March 1941, ref 1575.

Does anyone know where the recommendations for MID's might be found?

I am attempting to confirm that the MID was related to his action on 27 September 1940 when he lost his life.

[RossGmann]

The following link may be of interest

http://www.bbm.org.uk/BurtonPRF.htm

The Airmen's Stories - F/O P R-F Burton

Percival Ross-Frames Burton was born in 1917 in Cape Province, South Africa and joined the South African Coast Garrison and Citizen Forces in 1935. He later went to Britain, to Christ Church College, Oxford to read Jurisprudence. In 1938 he was reserve cox for the Oxford crew in the University Boat Race.

Burton learned to fly with the University Air Squadron and was called up in October 1939. After completing his training at FTS Cranwell he arrived at 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge on June 22nd 1940 to convert to Hurricanes and joined 249 Squadron at Church Fenton on July 21st.

On the morning of September 27th the squadron engaged a formation of Me110's of V/LG1. The Hurricanes broke the Germans' two defensive circles and the enemy aircraft went south at low level, heading for the Channel. Burton pursued one of the 110's for about forty miles, often
at little more than treetop height, but the German pilot, the Gruppe Kommandeur of V/LGI, Hauptmann Horst Liensberger, was unable to shake him off. Just north of Hailsham, Burton's guns stopped firing (presumably due to being out of ammunition) and the two aircraft skimmed over the rooftops. The Hurricane, V6883, was above and behind the Me110. Burton suddenly banked and made what appeared to be an attack. Both machines lurched and an object spun away. The tail unit of the
110 dropped into a field, followed by the rest of the aircraft. The falling object was the wingtip of Burton's Hurricane. His aircraft crashed into a huge oak tree on New Barn Farm, throwing its dead pilot clear and burning itself out in a field.

The German crew were buried in Hailsham Cemetery but were exhumed after the war and buried elsewhere. Burton is buried in St Andrew's churchyard, Tangmere.
Eye-witness reports indicate strongly that he deliberately rammed the Me110. A letter from Fighter Command to the Hailsham ARP Chief said that Burton was to be recommended for a posthumous gallantry award. This could only have been the VC but in fact he only received a Mention in Despatches.

In 1980 a road on a housing estate near to the site of the crash site was named 'Burton Walk' in his memory.