Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second World War capture of Tunis operations M.M. group of five awarded to Acting Corporal L. A. Burden, Royal West Kent Regiment - armed with a grenade and a bayonet, he rushed an enemy machine-gun post

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (6104545 A. Cpl. L. A. Burden, R.W. Kent R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 1st Army; Defence and War Medals, nearly extremely fine (5) £800-1000

Ex Etkins collection, Glendining’s 14 May 1986.

M.M. London Gazette 8 July 1943. The original recommendation states:

‘For conspicuous bravery in action in the “Peter’s Corner” area on 27 April 1943. During the attack on the hill around Sidi Abdallah at first light on 27 April 1943, the section of which Corporal Burden was a member, was pinned down by fire from an M.G. sited in a weapon pit. On seeing the situation, Corporal Burden stripped off his equipment and, armed with a grenade and a bayonet, rushed the M.G. post alone and under direct fire. He reached the pit, threw his grenade, silenced the M.G. and thus enabled his section to continue the attack.’

Leslie Arthur Burden, a native of Preston, Lancashire, was serving in the 1st Battalion, Royal West Kents at the time of the above related deeds. As part of the overall advance from Algiers to Tunis, his Battalion was hotly engaged over a four day period in April 1943, sustaining 16 officer and 317 other rank casualties. Costly though these operations proved, the way was opened for the 6th Armoured Division to push through to Tunis, which was taken on 8 May.

Less than a month later, Burden was dead, having ‘accidentally drowned’ on 2 June. He is buried in Bone War Cemetery, Algeria