Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The War Medal awarded to Mrs D. M. Cornish, née Burne, Women’s Royal Naval Service, who served as a mobile photographic assistant and flew as an aerial photographer 1942-43

War Medal 1939-45, good very fine £40-£50

Diana Margaret Cornish, née Burne, was born on 19 October 1918 and joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service on 27 February 1942. Commencing training as a mobile Photographic Assistant at Pembroke III, she transferred to H.M.S. Daedalus on 15 March of that year. Over the following year, she served at the Royal Naval Air Stations H.M.S. Jackdraw, 9 June to 7 August; H.M.S. Sparrowhawk, 8 August to 10 November; H.M.S. Vulture, 11 November to 9 December; and H.M.S. Daedalus, 10 December 1942 to 8 February 1943. On the latter day she was discharged from the service on compassionate ground.

Sold with black tin, with ‘E. S. Cornish’ to front, containing the recipient’s Women’s Royal Naval Service Certificate of Service; eleven Wartime Royal Navy sent envelopes from Miss Burne to the Reverend F. J. Cornish prior to their marriage (one with letter still inside); several photographs of Miss Burne as a naval photographer, two in flying kit; and a large quantity of letters, photographs and documents relating to the recipient and her husband.