Medals of an SAS soldier who was murdered by the Nazis during a daring mission behind enemy lines 80 years ago are being sold by a Lichfield auctioneer.
Corporal Kenneth Bateman was parachuted into occupied France hours before the D-Day Landings on 6th June 1944.
The mission was deemed so secret the full story only came out following the release of classified documents decades later.
The 24-year-old was among a group of elite soldiers working with French Resistance fighters tasked with disrupting the movement of German troops as the Allied invasion got underway.
But Bateman and his comrades were captured and shot on a month later.
The Salford soldier’s medals were finally claimed by a relative almost six decades later – and are now expected to fetch between £800 and £1,200 when they are sold by Richard Winterton Auctioneers.
Militaria specialist Jeff Clark said the full story of Operation Bulbasket – and Cpl Bateman’s role in it – was shrouded in secrecy for many years.
“This elite unit of 55 soldiers successfully managed to sabotage the railway lines many times and was tasked with preventing fuel supplies reaching the 2nd Panzer Division.
“They managed to obtain the whereabouts of a large supply of fuel that was due to arrive where the RAF managed to destroy that supply.”
Inspired by tales of her relative’s service, Cpl Bateman’s niece made an application for his medals which the Ministry of Defence approved in 2003.
The Lichfield resident died in February last year aged 85 and now her daughter has decided to sell the collection. She said:
“Mum dug into the story and found out what happened. She applied for the medals from the Government and had them framed.
“Mum always wanted to visit his grave in France, but sadly never made it over there.
“We are now not in the best of health and would sooner the medals go to someone who will appreciate them.”
They will be sold on 10th July. The full listing will be available a week before the auction at at www.richardwinterton.co.uk/auction-dates.
