Victoria Cross and George Cross Cover Signed Bamford GC George Cross Holder. 14 05 03 BFPS 2715 Victoria Cross and George Cross Special Postmark. Victoria Cross and George Cross Memorial Appeal Cover. Personally Signed by Mr John Bamford Won George Cross 16 Dec 1952 In the early hours of the morning of 19 October 1952 a fire started in the living room in the Bamford home in Newthorpe. John, the eldest of the 6 children, and his Father managed to get Mrs. Bamford and 3 of the children out, but 2 of the boys, aged 6 and 4, were trapped in their bedroom. The wooden stairs of the house had burst into flames and it seemed impossible to get through to the boys, but John fought his way into the room through the flames and found the little boys huddled together, petrified with fright. He put an arm round each and dragged them to the window where he managed to push the younger child out to his Father standing below, who partially broke his fall. The older boy had panicked and rushed back into the burning room, so John had to catch him, drag him to the window and throw him out to his Father. By this time John himself was fast losing consciousness, and was very badly burned on his upper body, but somehow got his leg over the window-sill and forced himself out. All 3 boys were taken to hospital, where the two rescued boys were soon off the danger list, but John did not go home until February 1953, after many skin-grafting operations. Details enclosed. The Victoria Cross and George Cross Collection Cover No 3. Limited Edition No 225 of 250