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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth B  Burnett, Wilf |
Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC
Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden crashed in extreme weather. Wilf was the sole survivor, and he was hospitalised. Recovering he was accepted to command 138 (Special Duties) Sqn at Tempsford who were engaged in dropping agents and supplies to the Resistance in occupied countries flying Halifaxes, later Stirlings. He died 26th November 2006.
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| Distinguished Service Order | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Air Commodore Wilf Burnett DSO OBE DFC AFC - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Bill Reid VC by Graeme Lothian. (P) Lancaster LM360, piloted by Bill Reid, is raked by fire from stem to stern by a Luftwaffe Fw190 fighter. Bill Reid had already sustained injuries to his head, torso and hands from a previous attack by an Me110, but, with this rest of his crew unscathed from the previous attack, he had not mentioned his injuries. In the attack depicted here, the Fw190 makes a lethal attack on the already damaged bomber, killing one crew member and fatally wounding a second. Despite this, Bill Reid flew on to his target of Dusseldorf - a further 200 miles - successfully dropped his bombs, then turned for home. With the aid of the bomb aimer and flight engineer, the Lancaster made it across the Channel and headed for an airfield, with one leg of the damaged undercarriage failing on landing. Bill Reid was awarded the Victoria Cross for this mission. |
Lancaster Arrival by Graeme Lothian. (P) A Lancaster returns to its home airfield. |
No Turning Back by Robert Taylor. A Lancaster of No. 61 Squadron, RAF, piloted by Flt. Lt. Bill Reid, under attack from a German Fw190 en route to Dusseldorf on the night of November 3rd, 1943. Already injured in a previous attack, Bill Reid was again wounded but pressed on for another 50 minutes to bomb the target, then fly his badly damaged aircraft on the long journey home. The courage and devotion to duty that earned Bill Reid the Victoria Cross, was a hallmark of RAF bomber crews throughout their long six year campaign. |
Clipped Signature - Wilf Burnett. Canadian Wilf Burnett joined the RAF before the war and at the outbreak of hostilities was flying Hampdens. He completed his first tour of 30 operations in September 1940, flying with 49 Sqn at Scampton. His crew had bombed invasion barges in the Channel ports, mined enemy waters, operated against the Ruhr, and taken part in the first raids against Berlin. In July 1941 he was posted to 408 (Goose) Sqn RCAF, at Syerston, where one night in January 1942, returning from Hamburg, their Hampden crashed in extreme weather. Wilf was the sole survivor, and he was hospitalised. Recovering he was accepted to command 138 (Special Duties) Sqn at Tempsford who were engaged in dropping agents and supplies to the Resistance in occupied countries flying Halifaxes, later Stirlings. He died 26th November 2006. |
A Hard Lesson to Learn by Adrian Rigby. On 18th December 1939, a force of Wellington bombers attacked naval targets on the German coast. On the return journey, they were attacked by enemy fighters, for over half an hour, bringing down 7 of the 22 Wellingtons. A further 5 would be forced to crash land in England. One of the surviving aircraft was flown by Sergeant Frank Petts who, in a futile attempt to shake off his attacker, dived to sea level. Despite sustaining considerable damage and with two of his crew wounded, he brought the bomber safely home. The experience of the raid forced the RAF to switch to night-time sorties, bombers were clearly too vulnerable without fighter escort. Six months later, during the Battle of Britain, the Luftwaffe would learn the same lesson. |
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Wilf Burnett signing the print - A Hard Lesson to Learn - by Adrian Rigby |
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