Anthony Fisher Burcher DFM (1922-1995) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Anthony Fisher (Tony) Burcher DFM

Born 15 Mar 1922 in North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Son of Harvey Stephen Burcher and Estelle Mary Beatrice (Thomas) Burcher

Brother of Verelle Elizabeth (Burcher) May, Estelle Millicent (Burcher) Campbell, Valda Guldera Burcher, Stephen Edward Burcher, Harvey Clive Burcher, Kevin Michael Burcher, Zilla Shirley (Burcher) Jira, Beresford Burcher, Hassell Bryce Burcher, Peter Lloyd Burcher and David Patrick Burcher

Husband of Margaret Joan (Barnes) Burcher — married 1945 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England

[children unknown]

Died 9 Aug 1995 at age 73 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

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Profile last modified 14 Jan 2024 | Created 4 Oct 2017

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Aussies involved in The Great Escape

1 Biography
2 Sources

Biography

Tony Burcher DFM

Tony Burcher DFM was born in New South Wales, Australia

Anthony Fisher 'Tony' Burcher DFM was born on 15th March 1922 in Sydney's northern suburbs, New South Wales, Australia. He was the fifth of twelve children of Harvey Burcher and Estelle Thomas. ^[1]^[2] He was educated at Vaucluse Public School, Sydney Boys' High School and St Patrick’s College. He then obtained employment as a wool sorter.

Tony Burcher DFM is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Royal Australian Air Force 1940-1952

On 11th December 1940 Tony enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force for service during the Second World War. ^[3] Following air crew training in Australia, he undertook wireless and then air gunnery training in Canada. He was promoted to acting Sergeant on the 1st September 1941 and embarked for the United Kingdom, where he was posted to RAF Yatesbury and then to the Operational Training Unit at RAF Cottesmore. Finally, on 20th May 1942, he joined No. 106 Squadron whose commanding officer was the legendary, Wing Commander Guy Gibson. After 27 'sorties', Tony was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM); his citation reading, in part, "In July 1942, when returning from Saarbrűcken, his aircraft was attacked by five enemy fighters. His excellent commentaries enabled the pilot to evade two of them and his well directed fire drove off another two. He also assisted in the destruction of the fifth". The award was not gazetted in London until 20th April 1943 so Tony had to wait until the end of the war to recieve his medal. ^[4] On 7th November 1942, Tony was posted to the Central Gunnery School, RAF Sutton Bridge and the following week discharged as an airman and commissioned as a Pilot Officer (General Duties).

the Dam Busters

Tony was one of the pilots selected to join the top-secret No. 617 Squadron flying out of RAF Scampton, which had been specially formed for a secret mission under Guy Gibson, dropping the specially-designed 'bouncing bombs' of Barnes Wallis' from their Lancasters Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany in an effort to cripple the Ruhr industrial area. ^[5] There are photographs of the crews at Dambuster Heroes. Tony flew as rear gunner in ED925/G call sign AJ-M with pilot John Hopgood, James Fraser, Charles Brennan, John Minchin, George Gregory and Ken Earnshaw. ^[6]

They took off on the night of 16th May 1943 and reached the Möhne Dam just after midnight. Gibson attacked first but although his bomb hit the dam it remained intact. Hopgood's plane was next but was hit before the bomb was dropped and the attack went in with engines aflame. After releasing the bomb he managed to attain 500 feet but when the starboard wing collapsed it was clear that they would crash. Hopgood kept the plane in the air long enough for Tony to help the injured John Minchin from the aeroplane then jump with James Fraser, clutching opened parachutes. John Minchin died but Tony and James survived. Their aircraft crashed near the village of Ostonnen and those still on board were killed.

the Great Escape

Tony Burcher DFM was a prisoner of war in Stalag Luft III during the Second World War.

Tony and James were captured separately but met again when they found themselves at Stalag Luft III; the prison at Sagen, Germany from which 76 officers escaped in March 1944, known today as 'The Great Escape'. ^[7]

Stalag Luft III

post war

Upon being repatriated to England and promoted to Flight Lieutenant, Tony married Joan Barnes, a WAAF who he had met in 106 Squadron, in 1945 at St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. ^[8]

He remained in the RAAF, returning to Australia with his bride. Joan and Tony had two daughters, one in Australia and the second in 1949 after being again posted to England where he served in Headquarters Overseas Command. After resigning his RAAF commission on 14th February 1952 in England, Tony was commissioned, as a Flight Lieutenant , in the RAF. He then served in the Korean War in No. 205 Squadron, being awarded both the Korea Medal and United Nations Service Medal for Korea. He was still serving in the squadron during the Malayan Emergency in Borneo in 1955, before transferring to No. 209 Squadron, with whom he served in Malaya that year.

ptsd?

Putting military service behind him, Tony returned to England, resigned his commission and worked in various businesses before, in 1961, being found guilty of being involved in a criminal fraud case, he was given a prison sentence. ^[9] Afterward, he returned to Australia, to Tasmania, and settled there.