William Francis Burman

On 20 September 1917, during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, Sergeant William Francis Burman carried out an extraordinary act of courage that helped his company overcome a deadly German machine-gun position. Minutes later, he led another daring attack that captured more than thirty enemy soldiers. These actions earned him the Victoria Cross.

William Francis Burman was born on 30 August 1897 in Stepney, East London. Educated at Stepney Red Coat School, he served in the school cadet movement before enlisting in the Rifle Brigade on 23 March 1915. He subsequently served with the 16th (Service) Battalion, Rifle Brigade (St Pancras), and was promoted to Sergeant on 20 April 1916.

During the Third Battle of Ypres, near Bulgar Wood east of Zillebeke, Belgium, Burman's company encountered an enemy machine gun firing at point-blank range. With the advance halted, Burman went forward alone, killed the gunner and carried the captured weapon to his company's objective, where he turned it against the enemy.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Burman saw that an adjacent battalion was being attacked from its flank by a group of about forty German soldiers. Accompanied by two comrades, he moved behind the enemy position. In the ensuing action, six enemy soldiers were killed, while two officers and twenty-nine other ranks were captured.

His exceptional bravery was recognised with the Victoria Cross, announced in The London Gazette, issue 30400, pages 12327–12328, in November 1917. King George V presented him with the decoration at Buckingham Palace on 19 December 1917.

Burman was demobilised on 7 March 1919 and returned to civilian life. He married May Violet Watts in March 1922 and worked for approximately thirty years as chauffeur to the managing director of the Daily Mirror. He later operated a car-hire business in Golders Green before retiring in 1964.

In 1971, Burman moved to Halsey House, the Royal British Legion home in Cromer, Norfolk, where he died on 23 October 1974, aged 77. He was cremated at St Faith's Crematorium in Norwich and is commemorated at Golders Green and through memorials associated with the Rifle Brigade. His Victoria Cross is held by the Imperial War Museums in London.

Historical medal entitlement note: Specialist Victoria Cross references list the 1914–15 Star among Burman's decorations. However, his reported arrival in France in March 1916 falls after the qualifying period for that medal. His original Medal Index Card and corresponding medal roll have not yet been examined. The Star is retained provisionally pending documentary confirmation.