THE FINE AND RARE SECOND WAR ‘DADS ARMY’ OR HOME GUARD, GEORGE MEDAL GROUP AWARDED TO A SECTION LEADER VICKERS ARMSTRONG AIRCRAFT FACTORY PROTECTION UNIT FOR HIS GALLANTRY IN THE DISPOSAL OF A 500LB BOMB WHICH HAD FAILED TO EXPLODE AFTER AN ATTACK ON THE HAWKER HURRICANE FACTORY, BROOKLANDS, 27 SEPTEMBER 1940, A GEORGE CROSS BEING AWARDED TO THE OFFICER IN CHARGE. HE WOULD LATER BE KILLED IN ACTION WHILST SERVING WITH THE ROYAL ENGINEERS DURING A 1944 E-BOAT ATTACK IN THE CHANNEL

GEORGE MEDAL GVI,‘SEC. LDR. ALBERT HENRY TILYARD-BURROWS. H.G’, 1939-45 STAR, FRANCE AND GERMANY STAR, DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS.

GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL GVI, CLASP MALAYA ‘22686246. SPR. D. H. BURROWS. R.E’

George Medal London Gazette 22 January 1941. The recommendation:

Albert Henry Tilyard-Burrows of Poplar. London, was born on 12 March 1903. Having previously served in the 6th Battalion Essex Regiment (Territorial Army), at the outbreak of the Second War, he was on reserved occupation and unable to enlist into the army. However, like many other able bodied men on reserved occupation, he joined the Local Defence Volunteers which were formed in May 1940 (renamed Home Guard some months later). Serving as a Section Leader of the 1st Battalion, Vickers Armstrong Aircraft Factory, Brooklands, Weybridge, this was presumably his place of work and therefore being on reserved occupation, couldn’t enlist into the Army .

An extremely important and large factory for the war effort, the Vickers Armstrong Factory at Brooklands produced Hawker Hurricanes and Wellington bombers among others and became a key target for the Luftwaffe. So much so, that on 4 September 1940 the factory was bombed resulting in horrendous losses of 83 workers killed and 419 injured.

Aircraft production continued but on 21 September, a lone Junkers Ju88 attacked the Hawker Hurricane factory, two bombs causing slight damage but another 500-pound bomb failed to explode and it was for his bravery in disposing of this bomb, despite having no previous bomb disposal experience, that Albert Tilyard-Burrows would be awarded Britain’s second highest civilian award for gallantry, the George Medal. The following extracted from the above website:

“A messenger from the factory came over to where Patton’s team was working (Lieutenant Royal Canadian Engineers, chemical engineering officer), to enquire if there was a bomb disposal section in the company. There was not, but Lieutenant Patton at once undertook to remove the bomb. He attended the scene along with some members of the Home Guard stationed at Brooklands. He decided that the unexploded bomb had to be removed as soon as possible before it damaged the factory and so caused disruption to the manufacturing of Hawker Hurricane fighter aircraft.

This operation was particularly hazardous as none of the band of volunteers had any instructions in, or experience of, the handling of bombs and were therefore unable to disarm it or remove the fuse.

About five minutes later Captain Cunnington, who was temporarily in command of the Canadian Engineers, was informed of what had happened and at once went to the scene. On arrival, he found that Lieutenant Patton had ordered a truck and a length of cable and was engaged in getting the bomb onto a sheet of corrugated iron.

Captain Cunnington at once set about clearing a path for the bomb to an old crater about 200 yards away. He then assisted in fastening the cable, which by this time had been fixed to the iron sheet with the bomb on it, to the truck. This done, he drove the truck with the bomb in tow while Patton sat on the tailgate of the lorry to watch over it. They lowered it into the crater and left. The bomb exploded harmlessly the next morning.

Patton was awarded the George Cross for his bravery. This made him the first of what was then known as a ‘Colonial’ citizen, ever to receive the George Cross. Cunnington and the Vickers Home Guard Section Leader AH Tilyard-Burrows were awarded the George Medal…”

Interestingly in the citation for awards notes that the bombs “immediate removal was a matter of national importance”, which shows how critical it was to keep the aircraft factory running. 

Section Leader Tilyard-Burrows was presented with the George Gross by the King at Buckingham Palace on 18 July 1941.

During the Second War, only 13 George Medals were awarded to members of the Home Guard, just 2 of these for bomb disposal. Also, just 3 BEM’s were awarded for bomb disposal, one of these, also for 21 September 1940 was sold at Spink, 23 July 2015 (£1500/1850)

Note: A section Leader was the equivalent of Sergeant and officially became the latter rank from February 1941

LATER SERVICE

On 4 September 1942, Sergeant Tilyard-Burrows was allowed to attest for the General Service Corps, which was formed to allocate men and women with specialised skills to the correct unit. His attestation form notes him as a Driver 1st Class and that he ‘desires eventually to service in the Royal Engineers’. On the reverse, it additionally lists the Local Defence Volunteers/Home Guard units he served in. This undoubtably added by Albert:

“1st Battalion Vickers Armstrong Factory Protection

10th Battalion Vickers Armstrong Bomb Disposal (renamed 10th Surrey Battalion Home Guard)

1st East Surrey Battalion Home Guard

53rd East Surrey Battalion Home Guard

3rd East Surrey Battalion Home Guard Dispatch Rider

10th Headquarters Dispatch Rider”

An original letter within the group from the C/O, Royal Engineers Motor Transport Depot, dated 12 April 1943, tells how Tilyard-Burrows was still awaiting a posting but recommending him to the rank of senior NCO. It also tells how if he wished, he could have stayed at that unit as an NCO Driving Instructor. However it seems Tilyard-Burrows declined this, presumably wish a more ’active’ service

Having been allocated to a Royal Engineers unit and serving with the rank of Lance Corporal, he was listed as missing in action on 27 July 1944. This was subsequently changed to presumed killed in action on 28 November 1944.  Exact details of what happened were revealed to the family by a chance meeting with a fellow soldier “who happened to visit a pub run by Albert’s brother Sidney, the Abingdon Arms in Kensington  which was popular with the troops. He mentioned that Tilyard was an unusual name , he had only come across it once before but it was double barrelled.” It turned out this soldier had been friends with Albert as they were in the same unit and they had been together when Albert was killed. Apparently, on 27 July 1944, they were aboard the SS Empress Beatrice in the Straights of Dover and Albert, having completed whatever task he had been given, had decided to go for a cup of tea. Unfortunately, at that moment the ship was hit by a torpedo from a E-Boat and Albert was instantly killed. (details from family with group).

Having no known grave, 14404353 Lance Corporal Albert Tilyard-Burrows GM, is commemorated on the Bayeux Memorial. His son, later also joined the Royal Engineers, serving with them in Malaya.

An outstanding website on the Home Guard can be found by searching Google and additionally much can be found on the Home Guard and Tilyard-Burrows actions online, including this article published in The Express.

SOLD WITH THE FOLLOWING ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS:

1) Buckingham Palace Investiture admission ticket, dated 13 July 1941

2) A photograph of Tilyard-Burrows in uniform wearing his George Medal ribbon and another of his son in Royal Engineers uniform.

3) A letter to his brother regarding attendance at Buckingham Palace

4) Attestation papers for General Service Corps, dated 4 September 1942, this in 2 pieces but complete

5) Royal Engineers Letter, dated 12 April 1943, recommending the rank of senior NCO

6) Two named Under-Secretary of State for War medal transmittals

7) Buckingham Palace condolence

8) 3 1944 dated letters reporting Tilyard-Burrows as missing in action and presumed killed in action.

9) Transcript from family regarding E-Boat action etc

Condition GVF or better, court mounted and medals mounted on felt backed card frame, along with a Royal Engineers cap badge and a small name plaque. Additionally sold with a PDF of 1943 publication ‘The Home Guard of Britain’. An extremely fine and scarce Home Guard award.

FULLY INSURED POSTAGE INCLUDED IN COST