Wing Commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...

Bransome Arthur "Branse" Burbridge, (4 February 1921 – 1 November 2016) was a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

(RAF)

night fighter A night fighter (also known as all-weather fighter or all-weather interceptor for a period of time after the Second World War) is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility. Night fighters began to be used i ...

pilot and

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

—a pilot credited with at least five enemy aircraft destroyed—who holds the Allied record of 21 aerial victories achieved at night during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. Burbridge was born in February 1921 into a family with strong Christian and pacifist beliefs. Upon the outbreak of the Second World War in Europe on 3 September 1939 Burbridge registered himself as a conscientious objector but changed his mind in 1940 and enlisted in the RAF. Burbridge completed his training within a year, was posted to

No. 85 Squadron RAF ("We hunt by day and night") , colors= , colors_label= Post-1950 aircraft insignia , march= , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= , anniversaries= , decorations= , battle_honours= Western Front, 1917–1918; France & Low Countrie ...

and claimed one probable kill against enemy aircraft with another aircraft damaged by the end of 1942. Burbridge was then posted to an

Operational Training Unit Royal Air Force Operational Training Units (OTUs) were training units that prepared aircrew for operations on a particular type or types of aircraft or roles. OTUs ;No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (1 OTU): The Unit was formed in 1 ...

(OTU) as an instructor before spending a year as a staff officer. In July 1943 he reached the rank of flight lieutenant. Burbridge returned to operations in late 1943 with No. 85 Squadron, equipped with the de Havilland Mosquito. The unit performed night defence operations over the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

. Burbridge flew with radar operator Bill Skelton, achieving much success in a relatively short time period. By the end of the German air offensive ''Steinbock'' in May 1944 he had shot down five enemy aircraft, making him a night fighter ace. Both men were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in May 1944. In June 1944 Operation Overlord and the Allied invasion of German-occupied Europe began reopening the Western Front. Burbridge flew sorties as an intruder pilot with

No. 100 Group RAF No. 100 (Bomber Support) Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation. The g ...

over the front. He claimed two more kills with one probable and another damaged in these operations. Burbridge also destroyed three

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

s over southern England. In September 1944 No. 85 Squadron returned to intruding over Germany and supporting RAF Bomber Command. Burbridge was awarded a bar to his DFC in October 1944 and a

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, ty ...

(DSO) the following month. From September 1944 to January 1945, Burbridge claimed 13 enemy night fighter aircraft destroyed — including four in one night. In February 1945 both men were awarded a bar to their DSO. After the end of the war in May 1945, Burbridge stayed in the RAF for a further seven months before resigning his commission. He studied at

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to th ...

and then

Cambridge University The University of Cambridge is a Public university, public collegiate university, collegiate research university in Cambridge, England. Founded in 1209 and granted a royal charter by Henry III of England, Henry III in 1231, Cambridge is the world' ...

before entering the Christian ministry. He remained in its service until his retirement. Burbridge resided in Chorleywood until his death in November 2016.

Early life

Bransome Arthur Burbridge was born in Brixton, in the London Borough of Lambeth, to Arthur Jarvis and Charlotte ("Lottie") Davis on 4 February 1921. Bransome was the second eldest of five. His brother Jarvis was born in 1919 and three sisters followed over the next 12 years: Charlotte, Zöe and Phebe. Arthur was a follower of

Charles Spurgeon Charles Haddon Spurgeon (19 June 1834 – 31 January 1892) was an English Particular Baptist preacher. Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of various denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers". He wa ...

and John Wesley thus became a

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

preacher. Bransome was dedicated in the Wesleyan tradition as a child. The family moved to a larger house in Thicket Road,

Penge Penge () is a suburb of South East London, England, now in the London Borough of Bromley, west of Bromley, north east of Croydon and south east of Charing Cross. History Penge was once a small hamlet, which was recorded under the name Pence ...

Bromley Bromley is a large town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. It is south-east of Charing Cross, and had an estimated population of 87,889 as of 2011. Originally part of Kent, Bromley became a market town, c ...

soon after Bransome was born. In mid-1935, Burbridge moved to

Knebworth Knebworth is a village and civil parish in the north of Hertfordshire, England, immediately south of Stevenage. The civil parish covers an area between the villages of Datchworth, Woolmer Green, Codicote, Kimpton, Whitwell, St Paul's Walden ...

. Burbridge was educated at Alleyne's School in Stevenage where he pursued his interests in music, painting and drama. While there he took part in the light opera, ''

The Pirates of Penzance ''The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. Its official premiere was at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York City on 31 December 187 ...

'', by Arthur Sullivan and

W. S. Gilbert Sir William Schwenck Gilbert (18 November 1836 – 29 May 1911) was an English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, which produced fourteen comic operas. The most fam ...

. Through the influence of his father and aunt, Burbridge adapted his musical and stage skills in Welwyn Evangelical Church where he played the Organ at Sunday services. After completing his schooling, Burbridge attended Camberwell Art College, and lodged with a view over

The Crystal Palace The Crystal Palace was a cast iron and plate glass structure, originally built in Hyde Park, London, to house the Great Exhibition of 1851. The exhibition took place from 1 May to 15 October 1851, and more than 14,000 exhibitors from around th ...

. His fees were stolen from a hotel room when he stopped in central London and he was forced to drop out after one term. This incident followed another unfortunate event. In 1939, his father suffered a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

when he was struck by a crank while trying to start the family car. Arthur Jarvis never recovered and died in 1940. Bransome was a pacifist and by 1939 his Christian values forbade him from joining the British Armed Forces or any military institution. Burbridge registered as a conscientious objector after the enabling of the

National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939 The National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939 was enacted by the Parliament of the United Kingdom on 3 September 1939, the day the United Kingdom declared war on Germany at the start of the Second World War. It superseded the Military Training Act ...

. Bransome was aware objectors had been badly treated in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

but refused to betray his principles even after the British declaration of war on 3 September 1939, following the German and Soviet invasion of Poland. Instead, Bransome continued in his civilian job at

Royal Exchange Assurance Corporation The Royal Exchange Assurance, founded in 1720, was a British insurance company. It took its name from the location of its offices at the Royal Exchange, London. Origins The Royal Exchange Assurance emerged from a joint stock insurance enterpr ...

.Shores and Williams 2008, p. 157. In 1939, he created a ''Young Endeavour'' group at his local Welwyn Evangelical Church with some initial success. However, he found that as the conflict continued, the group dwindled as men were called up to serve. Women were called up in 1941, but in the meantime Bransome chaired meetings that he described as nothing more than knitting parties. In September 1940, Burbridge ended his objection to military service. After the war, Burbridge explained that he wished to have a positive influence over people his own age, and if he was to continue doing so, he had to enter the armed forces. Burbridge opted for the

(RAF) to serve as a pilot or aircrew. He rationalised that as a pilot he was responsible for shooting down aircraft, not people. Burbridge made his decision despite having shown no interest in flying, nor experience or understanding in the basics of

aviation Aviation includes the activities surrounding mechanical flight and the aircraft industry. ''Aircraft'' includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing types, morphable wings, wing-less lifting bodies, as well as lighter-than-air craft such as hot a ...

Second World War

Training to instructor

Burbridge applied to join the RAF in September 1940. He was given the non-commissioned officer

Service number A service number is an identification code used to identify a person within a large group. Service numbers are most often associated with the military; however, they may be used in civilian organizations as well. National identification numbers may ...

10067. The situation for the Allies at that time was bleak. After the conquest of Poland, the German ''

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the ''Heer'' (army), the '' Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmacht''" replaced the previo ...

'' (Armed Forces) swiftly defeated Allied forces in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

and

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

RAF Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Brita ...

had prevailed against the ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

'' in the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

but British cities were suffering in

The Blitz The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term , the German word meaning 'lightning war'. The Germa ...

—a sustained aerial night offensive against the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. On 24 February 1941 after completing basic flight training at the Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS), Sulhamstead House, in Berkshire, Burbridge flew an aircraft for the first time. Thereafter he trained in the

Miles Magister The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft designed and built by the British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was affectionately known as the ''Maggie''. It was authorised to perform aerobatics. The Magister ...

and converted to the twin-engine

Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Seco ...

. In the Oxford he trained in bomb-aimer, navigation, and air gunner exercises. By the spring he had progressed onto the

Bristol Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until ...

and the versatile Bristol Beaufighter—an effective

. In June 1941 he was transferred to No. 54

(OTU) at

RAF Church Fenton Royal Air Force Church Fenton or RAF Church Fenton was a former Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south east of Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England and north west of Selby, North Yorkshire, near the village of Church Fenton. The station wa ...

. Burbridge's skill was recognised and he was appointed as an instructor. Burbridge was also commissioned as Pilot Officer on 1 July 1941. That same day he learned his brother Jarvis had been shot down and was a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

. Burbridge was a proficient pilot and undertook night flying training courses. He learned to use the Blind approach beacon system (BABS) which Burbridge surmised as audible dots and dashes. The

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, we ...

landing system generated dots to one side of the runway and dashes to the other. The strength of these images depended on the accuracy and position of the aircraft as it approached centre-line of the runway. The instructor's view was uninhibited, but the student pilot had his windshield covered to simulate an obstruction. In October 1941, after six months of intensive night flight training, Burbridge was declared ready for front-line operations. Burbridge was posted to

at RAF Hunsdon in October 1941. It was a satellite airfield for

RAF North Weald North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome, in the civil parish of North Weald Bassett in Epping Forest, Essex, England. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain, when it was known as the RAF Stat ...

Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and Grea ...

. The squadron's commander was Peter Townsend, an experienced combat leader. 85 Squadron was already a battle-hardened formation and had been in action during World War I and the Battle of Britain in 1940. The squadron was flying the American-built Douglas Havoc. The aircraft was initially used as a light bomber but was converted to the night fighter role as its limited range prevented from being used in bombing operations over Germany. The machine's nose was equipped with Airborne interception radar which required a second crewman to act as a navigator and radar operator. The lack of space meant the operator had to sit 10 feet behind the pilot and communicate through an

intercom An intercom, also called an intercommunication device, intercommunicator, or interphone, is a stand-alone voice communications system for use within a building or small collection of buildings which functions independently of the public telephon ...

which was not always reliable. Soon after joining the squadron, the unsuitability of the aircraft as a night fighter became apparent to Burbridge. While coming in to land his aircraft, the entire nose-section fell away nearly striking the landing gear. While the incident led to the nose being strengthened Burbridge found the Havoc to be sluggish and the firepower inadequate for the intended role. There was little Townsend could do. With no replacements or re-equipment in sight, 85 Squadron were to continue operating the Havoc. In 1942 the ''Luftwaffe'' began the so-called "

Baedeker Blitz The Baedeker Blitz or Baedeker raids were a series of aerial attacks in April and May 1942 by the German ''Luftwaffe'' on English cities during the Second World War. The name derives from Baedeker, a series of German tourist guide books, inclu ...

", in retaliation for RAF Bomber Command attacks on German cities. The ''Luftwaffe'' bombed

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...

, Poole and

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...

on the night of the 2/3 June 1942. Near Canterbury Burbridge claimed his first successes—a probable

Junkers Ju 88 The Junkers Ju 88 is a German World War II ''Luftwaffe'' twin-engined multirole combat aircraft. Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works (JFM) designed the plane in the mid-1930s as a so-called '' Schnellbomber'' ("fast bomber") that would be too fast ...

over

—at 03:30 on 2 June 1942. The following night, at 02:50, he damaged a

Dornier Do 217 The Dornier Do 217 was a bomber used by the German ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II as a more powerful development of the Dornier Do 17, known as the ''Fliegender Bleistift'' (German: "flying pencil"). Designed in 1937 and 1938 as a heavy bombe ...

over

. Burbridge was guided to his targets by

ground control interception Ground-controlled interception (GCI) is an air defence tactic whereby one or more radar stations or other observational stations are linked to a command communications centre which guides interceptor aircraft to an airborne target. This tactic was p ...

which placed him within in a mile (1.6 km) of the target aircraft. The radio operator guided him with the onboard

AI Mk. VIII radar Radar, Airborne Interception, Mark VIII, or AI Mk. VIII for short, was the first operational microwave-frequency air-to-air radar. It was used by Royal Air Force night fighters from late 1941 until the end of World War II. The basic concept, u ...

set until the enemy was in visual range. For his service he was promoted to Flying Officer on 1 July 1942. In August 1942 the squadron began to convert onto the de Havilland Mosquito and dispensed with the ineffective Havocs. On 15 August Burbridge made his first flight in the aircraft with a Sergeant Webster. His first solo flight was on 17 September 1942.Warson 2007, p. 33. Burbridge's operational tour expired in October 1942 he was posted as an instructor to 62 OTU at

RAF Usworth Royal Air Force Sunderland'' or ''RAF Sunderland is a former Royal Air Force station in Sunderland. In 1958 the station was closed and the airfield became Sunderland Airport. Following the closure of the airport in 1984, the site has since b ...

near Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, and then briefly to

141 141 may refer to: * 141 (number), an integer * AD 141, a year of the Julian calendar * 141 BC __NOTOC__ Year 141 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Pompeius (or ...

and 157 Squadrons. While flying from Usworth Burbridge was detailed to instruct at the radar operator's training school. Here students were given instruction and experience on night navigation. Burbridge flew the

Avro Anson The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined, multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro. Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force (RAF), Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCA ...

on these training flights. The aircraft could hold eight students and was equipped with two AI screens. The students operated the older AI Mk. IV radar sets which had been relegated to second-line duties. They were observed by a radar operator instructor.Shores and Williams 208, pp. 157–158.

''Steinbock''

Royal Air Force- 2nd Tactical Air Force, 1943-1945

At Usworth Burbridge met Flying Officer Bill Skelton, a radar operator instructor. Skelton and Burbridge disliked their positions. Burbridge wished to be assigned to Supermarine Spitfires to carry out high altitude

photo-reconnaissance Aerial reconnaissance is reconnaissance for a military or strategic purpose that is conducted using reconnaissance aircraft. The role of reconnaissance can fulfil a variety of requirements including artillery spotting, the collection of imagery ...

work. Burbridge and Skelton felt that their experience could give them leverage to apply for an operational posting as a night fighter team. Their applications were accepted and Burbridge returned to 85 Squadron at

RAF West Malling Royal Air Force West Malling or RAF West Malling is a former Royal Air Force station located south of West Malling, Kent and west of Maidstone, Kent, England. Originally used as a landing area during the First World War,flight lieutenant from 1 July 1943 (war substantive). 85 Squadron was commanded by John "Cat’s Eyes" Cunningham, an experienced night fighter who had been involved in pioneering British night fighter tactics with radar. Cunningham permitted the pair to form as a night fighter crew. Fellow navigator at 85 Squadron, Jimmy Rawnsley, later said the pair flew some of the long-range escort patrols and they got on well personally. Rawnsley said, "They had the perfect and all too rare understanding that characterised the best crews, and which enabled them to work together almost as one man." Rawnsley flew with Cunningham on most of his successful sorties. In November 1943 Bomber Command was ordered to carry out a sustained attack on

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

by Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Arthur Harris. The offensive was dubbed the Battle of Berlin, through which Harris was given an opportunity to strike a war-winning blow. In retaliation

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

and

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...

, commander in chief of the ''Luftwaffe'', initiated

Operation Steinbock Operation Steinbock (german: Unternehmen Steinbock), sometimes called the Baby Blitz, was a strategic bombing campaign by the German Air Force (the Luftwaffe) during the Second World War. It targeted southern England and lasted from January to M ...

. It called for retaliatory attacks on Greater London. The operations were on a much smaller scale than the Blitz in 1940–41, but it required a sizeable defence effort. Burbridge took a Mosquito NF.XII as his personal aircraft. It was equipped with a low- SHF-band AI Mk VIII. These centimetric radar sets were mounted in a solid "bull nose" radome—a smooth nose which did not need external aerials. It required the machine guns to be dispensed with, but the fighter was still equipped with

Hispano-Suiza HS.404 The HS.404 is an autocannon originally designed and produced by Spanish/French company Hispano-Suiza in the mid-1930s. It was widely used as an aircraft, naval and land-based weapon by French, British, American and other military services, par ...

s—

20 mm caliber 20 mm caliber is a specific size of popular autocannon ammunition. It is typically used to distinguish smaller-caliber weapons, commonly called "guns", from larger-caliber "cannons" (e.g. machine gun vs. autocannon). All 20 mm cartridges ...

cannon. Skelton and Burbridge opened their score on the night of 22/23 February 1944. The ''Luftwaffe'' sent 185 aircraft against London, of which 166 reached the target and 13 did not return. Burbridge engaged and destroyed a

Messerschmitt Me 410 The Messerschmitt Me 410 ''Hornisse'' (Hornet) is a German heavy fighter and ''Schnellbomber'' used by the ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II. Though an incremental improvement of the Me 210, it had a new wing plan, longer fuselage and engin ...

south-east of

Beachy Head Beachy Head is a chalk headland in East Sussex, England. It is situated close to Eastbourne, immediately east of the Seven Sisters. Beachy Head is located within the administrative area of Eastbourne Borough Council which owns the land, formi ...

this night. According to German records, V./ ''Kampfgeschwader'' 2 (Bomber Wing 2) were operating the Me 410 from airfields in

Vitry-en-Artois Vitry-en-Artois (, literally ''Vitry in Artois''; pcd, Vitry-in-Artoé or ''Vitry-la-Gueule'') is a commune and in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography Vitry-en-Artois is situated some northeast of Ar ...

, France. Me 410s were used as low-level night fighter bomber intruders to distract the British defences from the heavier bombers. During the night of 24/25 March the ''Luftwaffe'' targeted the

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, B ...

area of London. 143 German aircraft took part. Burbridge claimed a

damaged and then, after encountering more enemy aircraft off Dover, claimed a Ju 88. Some 18 German bombers were lost to enemy action or failed to return. A further three were lost in accidents. Five Do 217s were lost in combat, while 10 Ju 88s also fell. The next success came during the evening of 18/19 April, south of

Sandgate, Kent Sandgate is a village in the Folkestone and Hythe Urban Area in the Folkestone and Hythe district of Kent, England. It had a population of 4,225 at the 2001 census.Tower Bridge Tower Bridge is a Grade I listed combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, built between 1886 and 1894, designed by Horace Jones and engineered by John Wolfe Barry with the help of Henry Marc Brunel. It crosses the River Thames clos ...

the epicentre of the attack. Burbridge destroyed a

Junkers Ju 188 The Junkers Ju 188 was a German ''Luftwaffe'' high-performance medium bomber built during World War II, the planned follow-up to the Ju 88 with better performance and payload. It was produced only in limited numbers, due both to the presence of i ...

, which crashed into the sea. The Germans lost 18 aircraft, including four Ju 188s and nine of the similar Ju 88s. Burbridge reached

status on the 25/26 April, after shooting down a Messerschmitt Me 410 south of

Selsey Bill Selsey Bill is a headland into the English Channel on the south coast of England in the county of West Sussex. The southernmost town in Sussex is Selsey which is at the end of the Manhood Peninsula and ''Selsey Bill'' is situated on the town's so ...

for his 5th victory. It was one of seven German aircraft lost that night. For this act, Burbridge was recommended for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on 18 May 1944. Over the course of April, 85 Squadron was moved to

to support Bomber Command in offensive operations over Europe. For this purpose, 85 Squadron was trained in low-level night navigation and would eventually be equipped with ''Monica'' radar to detect enemy aircraft from behind. 85 Squadron was moved to

RAF Swannington Royal Air Force Swannington, or more simply RAF Swannington, was a Royal Air Force station located south of Cawston and north west of Norwich in Norfolk, England. It was opened in April 1944, being developed from the estate of Haveringland ...

in Norfolk. The station opened on 1 April 1944.

Night fighter intruder

The stay in Norfolk was short. 85 Squadron moved to

Colerne Colerne is a village and civil parish in north Wiltshire, England. The village is about west of the town of Corsham and northeast of the city of Bath. It has an elevated and exposed position, above sea level, and overlooks the Box valley to ...

in Wiltshire, as 100 Group prepared to support Operation Overlord and the

D-Day landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

which began on 6 June. On the night of 15 June 1944 Burbridge was on patrol over France and Belgium when they sighted a Ju 188 south-west of

Nivelles Nivelles (; nl, Nijvel, ; wa, Nivele; vls, Neyvel) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the Belgian province of Walloon Brabant. The Nivelles municipality includes the former municipalities of Baulers, Bornival, Thines, and Monst ...

near the border. Burbridge dispatched the aircraft which crashed next to a river. The machine was actually a Ju 88, flown by '' Major'' Wilhelm Herget, '' Gruppenkommandeur'' (Group Commander) of I./ ''Nachtjagdgeschwader'' 4 (Night Fighter Wing 4). Herget and his crew bailed out and the Ju 88G-1, ''Werknummer'' (Wrk Nr)—work number 710833—was destroyed.Bowman 2005, p. 181. Burbridge scored again on 23 June 1944. The

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

was fighting its way into France from Sword and Gold Beach on 6 June. It was stalled at Caen by determined German resistance, which began a two-month battle for the city. The German bomber force could not operate in daylight because of Allied

air supremacy Aerial supremacy (also air superiority) is the degree to which a side in a conflict holds control of air power over opposing forces. There are levels of control of the air in aerial warfare. Control of the air is the aerial equivalent of comm ...

, but the ''

Kampfgeschwader {{wiktionary Kampfgeschwader are the German-language name for (air force) bomber units. In WW1, they were air squadrons, while in WW2, they were air wings. History First World War During World War I, ''Kampfgeschwader'' were specialized bomber ...

'' (Bomber Wings) targeted the beachheads and Allied shipping at night. The anti-shipping campaign would prove so ineffective most units were withdrawn in mid-July 1944. By that time the German bomber force was becoming defunct for want of fuel. Near the Channel Burbridge claimed a Ju 88 destroyed, one of eight Mosquito pilot claims on 23/24 June 1944. The victory—their 7th—was not straightforward. At 02:10 they saw a

searchlight A searchlight (or spotlight) is an apparatus that combines an extremely bright source (traditionally a carbon arc lamp) with a mirrored parabolic reflector to project a powerful beam of light of approximately parallel rays in a particular direc ...

flash and an aircraft respond with a

flare gun A flare gun, also known as a Very pistol or signal pistol, is a large-bore handgun that discharges flares, blanks and smoke. The flare gun is typically used to produce a distress signal. Types The most common type of flare gun is a Very (s ...

. They identified a Ju 88 approaching a landing strip. As they did so the Germans detected the Mosquito and the glare of the light, which caught the Mosquito, blinded them. After evading the searchlight, Skelton used the AI to locate the Ju 88. Neither could see the target until they were within 400 feet because of the glaring light. Burbridge fired at the Ju 88 which caught fire, crashed and exploded. Fragments from the Ju 88 damaged the port engine, which was losing coolant. Burbridge feathered it and flew back to England on one engine. The AI was also put out of action. In the late summer of 1944 Burbridge and Skelton also engaged

V-1 flying bombs The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buzz bomb or doodlebug and in Germany as ...

over England. They made their first interception on the night of 18/19 July without success. By September 1944 he had shot down three of the unmanned missiles. In September Bomber Command refocused on Germany after the victory in Normandy, and 85 Squadron continued its support operations. On 11/12 September Bomber Command's

No. 5 Group RAF No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part (February 1943 – 1945) by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane. History Overview The Group was formed on 1 September 1937, with its headquarters at RAF Mild ...

attacked Darmstadt. Other Groups flew "gardening", or mine-laying operations off the German coast while others carried out diversionary raids over Berlin.

No. 8 Group RAF No. 8 Group was a Royal Air Force group which existed during the final year of the First World War and during the Second World War. First World War No. 8 Group was formed in April 1918 as a training unit and designated 8 Group (Training). I ...

attacked synthetic oil plants at Gelsenkirchen and Dortmund. In the far north, Burbridge flew as intruder in support of mine-laying operations. He took a route over southern Denmark, and Skelton identified a Ju 188 over the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and ...

which Burbridge shot down. One month later, 85 Squadron supported the attack on Duisburg. Bomber Command dispatched 1,013 aircraft—519 Avro Lancaster, 474

Handley-Page Halifax The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester. The Halifax has its or ...

bombers and 20 Mosquito night fighters—in

Operation Hurricane Operation Hurricane was the first test of a British atomic device. A plutonium implosion device was detonated on 3 October 1952 in Main Bay, Trimouille Island, in the Montebello Islands in Western Australia. With the success of Operation H ...

on 14/15 October 1944. Burbridge and Skelton proceeded to Gütersloh airfield in the hope of intercepting German night fighters that attempted to take-off. Within a short time they saw two Ju 88s over the airfield. After a ten-minute chase the first—identified by Skelton through binoculars—was shot down after two firing passes, after AI contact had been temporarily lost. The second was dispatched minutes later. Burbridge's score was now 10 enemy aircraft. Four days later on 19/20 October 1944, Bomber Command attacked Stuttgart. Burbridge and Skelton claimed another Ju 188 over

Metz Metz ( , , lat, Divodurum Mediomatricorum, then ) is a city in northeast France located at the confluence of the Moselle and the Seille rivers. Metz is the prefecture of the Moselle department and the seat of the parliament of the Grand ...

. Next month, Burbridge and Skelton—now becoming well known as the "Night Hawks"—claimed their best single night tally. On 4/5 November 1944, over

Bonn The federal city of Bonn ( lat, Bonna) is a city on the banks of the Rhine in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, with a population of over 300,000. About south-southeast of Cologne, Bonn is in the southernmost part of the Rhine-Ru ...

, they shot down four enemy aircraft with just 200 rounds of ammunition. They claimed three Ju 88s and a

Messerschmitt Bf 110 The Messerschmitt Bf 110, often known unofficially as the Me 110,Because it was built before ''Bayerische Flugzeugwerke'' became Messerschmitt AG in July 1938, the Bf 110 was never officially given the designation Me 110. is a twin-engine (Des ...

. It would seem their claims were misidentified: two are certain to have been Bf 110s rather than Ju 88s.Bowman 2005, pp. 185–186.Bowman 2004, p. 219. This sortie increased Burbridge's tally to 15 enemy aircraft. He was awarded the

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

to his DFC, which was "Gazetted" on 14 November 1944. It was awarded for reaching his 7th air victory some months earlier. Over

Mannheim Mannheim (; Palatine German: or ), officially the University City of Mannheim (german: Universitätsstadt Mannheim), is the second-largest city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after the state capital of Stuttgart, and Germany's ...

on 21/22 November 1944 they claimed a Bf 110 and a Ju 88 near

for their 16th and 17th victories. On the night of 12/13 December, Bomber Command attacked Essen and

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; wep, Ossenbrügge; archaic ''Osnaburg'') is a city in the German state of Lower Saxony. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population ...

. Burbridge and Skelton accounted for a Bf 110 and Ju 88 outside the city—both victories have been identified through German records.Thomas 2005, p. 71. Only six bombers were lost on this mission and all of the 28 Mosquitos dispatched returned. On 23 December 1944 they added a Bf 110 near Koblenz for Burbridge's 20th victory. His actions on 4/5 November earned him his first

(DSO). It was "Gazetted" on 2 January 1945 with his score at 20—he had shot down another five German night fighters in the intervening period. Burbridge's and Skelton's 21st and final victim fell south-west of Ludwigshafen on 2/3 January 1945. The claim was filed as a Ju 88. This victory made them the highest scoring British and Commonwealth night fighter partnership of the war. For this action Burbridge received a bar to his DSO in February 1945 which was "Gazetted" on 13 March 1945. The citation erred as it mistakenly asserted the award was bestowed for achieving his 20th victory in January 1945.Warson 2007, p. 50.

Commanding Officer

Burbridge left No. 85 Squadron in March 1945 to become commanding officer of the Night Fighter Leader's School. He was later awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross on 17 July 1945. Burbridge said "I always tried to aim for the wings of enemy aircraft and not the cockpit. I never wanted to kill anyone."

Post war activities

Burbridge left the RAF in October 1946 and joined the

University of Oxford , mottoeng = The Lord is my light , established = , endowment = £6.1 billion (including colleges) (2019) , budget = £2.145 billion (2019–20) , chancellor ...

. He read history at St Peter's College and joined the evangelical

Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union The Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, usually known as OICCU ( ), is the world's second oldest university Christian Union and is the University of Oxford's most prominent student Christian organisation. It was formed in 1879. Due to the ...

. He remained a lay preacher for the

Scripture Union Scripture Union (SU) is an international, interdenominational, evangelical Christian organization. It was founded in 1867, and works in partnership with individuals and churches across the world. The organization's stated aim is to use the Bible t ...

where he carried out work for the Children's Special Service Mission. While working as a secretary he met Barbara Cooper (b. 6 March 1917), a British national born in

Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...

, Uganda. They married on 17 September 1949. In the 1970s he was a member of the pastoral team at St Aldate's Church, Oxford. In February 2013 Burbridge's family reported that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and they were considering selling his medals and wartime memorabilia to fund his private care home. On 25 March 2013, Burbridge's medals fetched £155,000 at auction.

Death

Burbridge died on 1 November 2016, aged 95.

Air victories

References

Citations

Bibliography

* * Bowman, Martin W. (2006). ''Mosquito: Menacing the Reich: Combat Action in the Twin-Engine Wooden Wonder of World War II''. Pen & Sword. * Bowman, Martin W. (2006). ''100 Group (Bomber Support): RAF Bomber Command in World War II''. Pen & Sword, Barnsley. * Bowman, Martin W. (2005). ''de Havilland Mosquito'' (Crowood Aviation series). Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: The Crowood Press. . * Bowman, Martin W. (2004). ''Confounding the Reich: The Raf's Secret War of Electronic Countermeasures in WWII''. Leo Cooper Ltd. . * Bowman, Martin W. (1998). ''Mosquito Fighter/Fighter-Bomber Units of World War 2''. Osprey, Oxford. * Brandon, Lewis, C.F. Rawnsley and Wright, Robert. ''Night Flyer: Mosquito Pathfinder : Night Operations in World War II''. Stackpole Books. * Everitt, Chris and Middlebrook, Martin. (2014)

985 Year 985 ( CMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Henry II (the Wrangler) is restored as duke of Bavaria by Empress Theoph ...

''The Bomber Command War Diaries: An Operational Reference Book''. Pen & Sword. * Foreman, John. (2003). ''RAF Fighter Command Victory Claims of World War Two: Part One, 1939–1940''. Red Kite. . * Foreman, John; Mathews, Johannes; Parry, Simon (2004). ''Luftwaffe Night Fighter Claims 1939–1945''. Walton on Thames, UK: Red Kite. . * Griehl, Manfred. (2000) ''German Elite Pathfinders KG 100 in Action''. Greenhill Books. * Heaton, Colin; Lewis, Anne-Marie. (2008). ''Luftwaffe and RAF Air Combat Over Europe, 1939–1945''. Naval Institute Press. . * Macky, Ron and Parry, Simon. (2010). ''The Last Blitz: Operation Steinbock, the Luftwaffe's Last Blitz on Britain — January to May 1944''. Red Kite. . * Shores, Christopher and Williams, Clive. (1999). ''Aces High: A Further Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in WWII Volume 2''. Grub Street, London. * Thomas, Andrew. (2005). ''Mosquito Aces of World War 2 (Aircraft of the Aces)''. Osprey, Oxford. * Thomas, Andrew and Davey Chris. (2013). ''V1 Flying Bomb Aces''. Osprey, Oxford. * Warson, Gillian. (2007) ''Wings & A Prayer: The Life of Branse Burbridge''. The Lydia Press, Bicester. * Wynn, Humphrey. (1984). ''Prelude to Overlord: an account of the air operations which preceded and supported Operation Overlord, the allied landings in Normandy on D-Day, 6th of June 1944''. Presidio Press. {{DEFAULTSORT:Burbridge, Branse 1921 births 2016 deaths People from East Dulwich English evangelicals English conscientious objectors Royal Air Force wing commanders British World War II flying aces Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Alumni of St Peter's College, Oxford Royal Air Force pilots of World War II