Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. Including a superb collection of medals to the King’s German Legion, Police Medals from the Collection of John Tamplin and a small collection of medals to the Irish Guards

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Cr. Sgt. T. Burdett, North’d Fus. 2nd Sept. 1898) engraved brackets added to date, contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise generally very fine £1600-1800

D.C.M. London Gazette 15 November 1898.

Thomas Burdett was born in Bradford, Yorkshire and enlisted in the Northumberland Fusiliers in May 1883, aged 20 years. A carpenter by trade, he was also a member of the 4th (Militia) Battalion, Derbyshire Regiment. He went on to gain rapid promotion, being advanced to Corporal in December 1883 and to Sergeant in February 1885, in which latter month he arrived in India. Burdett was subsequently employed in the Hazara Expedition of 1888, gained advancement to Colour-Sergeant in September 1889 and returned home in early 1894. Then in January 1898, following a posting to Gibraltar, he participated in the operations leading to the re-conquest of the Sudan, and won his D.C.M. for bravery at Omdurman. At the end of the same year, Burdett returned home to take up an appointment with the 1st Volunteer Battalion.

In June 1899, the St. George’s Gazette reported:

‘After the inspection and drill by senior officers of the Regiment, Colonel Garstin presented the Khedive’s Medal to Sergeant-Instructor T. Burdett. On presenting the Medal Colonel Garstin complimented Sergeant-Instructor Burdett on his well-earned honour; and also drew the attention of the Brigade to the fact this N.C.O. was to receive the Medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field, which he earned at the Battle of Omdurman, especially remarking to the Volunteers that the Medal was the next highest honour to be obtained by a soldier to the Victoria Cross.’

The following feature appeared in the same publication in December 1899:

‘At Windsor Castle yesterday afternoon, the Queen decorated Colour-Sergeant F. (sic) Burdett of the 1st Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers, with the medal for distinguished conduct in the field. Her Majesty also decorated four officers with the Distinguished Service Order. Princess Beatrice accompanied the Queen, and Sir John McNeill and Colonel Carington were in attendance. When the gallant Sergeant marched up the Grand Corridor to the Queen, he found Her Majesty sitting in a low chair. Colonel Carington introduced him. Burdett dropped on one knee, and the Queen spoke a few kind words to him, congratulating him on his gallantry. She then fastened the medal on his breast. The Colour-Sergeant bowed to Her Majesty, and the little ceremony was over.’

And Burdett afterwards gave an interview to the Morning Leader:

‘Windsor Castle was magnificent and he [Burdett] was particularly interested in the Khalifa’s black flag in the Castle, riddled as it is with English bullets. Burdett possesses two other medals - the Black Mountain Expedition and the Khedive’s, and is entitled to the English war medal for Khartoum. He is now attached to the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. Hearing that one of the men of his regiment was the present Barrack Warden at Victoria Barracks, Windsor, Burdett paid him a visit, and the old comrades were glad to meet. Sergeant-Major Fowles of the 1st Grenadiers, also warmly welcomed Burdett as an old chum.’

Soon after his visit to Windsor Castle, Burdett was advanced to Sergeant-Major on the Permanent Staff of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion and was finally discharged at Newcastle in November 1904. Many years later he was admitted as an In-pensioner to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, where he died in April 1943, aged 84 years.