The 1944 King’s Birthday Honours, celebrating the official birthday of King George VI, were announced on 2 June 1944.

Skipper Percy Robert Smith Besford, RNR, 3475 W.S. (Lowestoft) was Mentioned in Despatches.

In the honours system, being mentioned in despatches is an operational gallantry award given to all ranks for an act (or acts) of bravery during active operations. It means that the person did something that had warranted their name to be included in an official account written by a superior officer, which had then been sent on to the War Office.