Name
Philip Scott Burge (MC and MM)
24 Mar 1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/07/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
Royal Air Force
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Cross, Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DUD CORNER CEMETERY, LOOS
I. C. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
DEARLY LOVED FIFTH SON OF WILLIAM A. AND GRACE BURGE
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Potters Bar memorials, Marlborough College Memorial Hall, Wilts. Sjt L O & Captain S Burge, Enfieild, Greater London.
Pre War
Philip Scott was born on 29 Mar 1895 in Potters Bar to William Alfred Burge, a stockbroker, and Grace (nee Scott). On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Norah (born 1884), Winifred (born 1885), Harold E (born 1890), Lionel Oliver (born 1893), Philip, and Edward C (born 1897) were living at High Road, South Mimms,
On the 1911 Census Philip was listed at Marlborough School, Marlborough, Wilts as a boarder, his parents were living at the Close, Cold Norton, Essex.
Wartime Service
Philip volunteered for the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment in Jan 1915 joining as Private with 10th (Service) Battalion. This Battalion was formed in Aug 1914 although it had then been adopted fully as Official. It was informally known at ‘the Stockbrokers’ hence the service number for Philip of STK/1182. The Battalion allocated to 111 Brigade, 37 Division. Philip went to France on 31 Jul 1915 with this Division He was awarded the Military Medal for actions with this Battalion on the Somme.
He transferred to Royal Flying Corps about Oct 1916. On 27 Feb 1917, Burge was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant (Temp) and was appointed as a flying officer on 24 May 1917. On 14 Oct 1917, he was posted to 64 Squadron, flying a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a. He scored his first aerial victory on 23 Mar 1918, (Fokker Dr.I triplane over Bourlon Wood. One week later, he and James Anderson Slater shared a German two-seater reconnaissance aeroplane over Croisilles, France. On 1 Apl 1917, he destroyed an Albatross D.V fighter over Méricourt. Philip was promoted from lieutenant to temporary captain while on 20 Apl 1918. On 3 May, he shared a Rumpler reconnaissance aircraft over Mercatel. On 16 May, he shot down two more aircraft in the same dogfight, On 20 and 21 May 1918, he destroyed two Halberstadt reconnaissance machines. Philip’s next success was on 19 Jul 1918, when he destroyed a Fokker triplane south of Lille. The next day, Burge, Edmund Tempest, and another pilot cooperated to down a Rumpler near Drocourt. On 22 Jul 1918, Philip shot down an aircraft for the last time, destroying an Albatros D.V over Harnes. On 24 Jul 1918, Phillip was killed in action when his plane (Se5a D 6900) caught fire. The pilot who shot him down is generally believed to be Unteroffizier Marat Schumm of Jagdstaffel 52. His final tally was six solo victories, three shared victories and two enemy fighters downed out of control.
On 16 Sep 1918, Philip's Military Cross was gazetted posthumously. It read:: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. This officer is a brilliant fighting pilot, and has destroyed six enemy aeroplanes. His dash and determination when engaged in combat with the enemy, often numerically superior, have set a fine example to the remainder of his formation.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £13 10s and arrears of £176 14s was paid to his father. His Brother Leonards Oliver Burge served with 10 Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and was killed in action on 11 Jul 1916 on the Somme.
His father, W A. Burge, esq. 82, Holbein House, Sloane Square, SW1, ordered his headstone inscription: "DEARLY LOVED FIFTH SON OF WILLIAM A. AND GRACE BURGE".
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
