Phillip Scott Burge, (29 March 1895 – 24 July 1918) was a World War One

fighter pilot A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and ...

and flying ace. He was killed in action over France in 1918 after earning the Military Cross.

Early life

Burge was a student at

Marlborough College Marlborough College is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent boarding school) for pupils aged 13 to 18 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. Founded in 1843 for the sons of Church ...

prior to World War I. He joined the British Army early in the war and was awarded the Military Medal in mid-1916 while serving with the

Royal Fusiliers The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881. The regiment served in many wars ...

. He was transferred and commissioned in the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

in 1917.Franks (2007), p. 51.

First World War

On 27 February 1917, Burge was commissioned as a probationary temporary

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

and was appointed as a flying officer on 24 May 1917. On 14 October, he was assigned to 64 Squadron as a

Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the fast ...

a pilot. He scored his first aerial victory on 23 March 1918, when he destroyed a Fokker Dr.I triplane fighter over Bourlon Wood. One week later, he and

James Anderson Slater Flight Lieutenant James Anderson Slater (27 November 1896 – 26 November 1925) was a British First World War flying ace, credited with 24 aerial victories. He served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) as an instructor after the war until killed i ...

shared in the destruction of a German two-seater reconnaissance aeroplane over Croisilles, France. On 1 April, he destroyed an Albatros D.V fighter over Méricourt. Burge was promoted from lieutenant to temporary captain while on active flight status on 20 April 1918. Note: Such temporary promotions to captain usually accompanied appointment to the post of flight commander.Shores, et al, p. 93. On 3 May 1918, Burge shared in the destruction of a Rumpler

reconnaissance aircraft A reconnaissance aircraft (colloquially, a spy plane) is a military aircraft designed or adapted to perform aerial reconnaissance with roles including collection of imagery intelligence (including using photography), signals intelligence, as ...

over

Mercatel Mercatel () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography Mercatel is situated south of Arras, at the junction of the D34 and the N17 roads. Population Places of interest * The church of St.L ...

. On 16 May, he shot down two more aircraft in the same dogfight, destroying an Albatros D.V and driving another down out of control. On consecutive days 20 and 21 May 1918, he destroyed two Halberstadt reconnaissance machines for his seventh and eighth kills. His next success was on 19 July 1918, when he destroyed another Fokker triplane south of Lille. The next day, Burge, Edmund Tempest, and another pilot cooperated to ruin a Rumpler over Drocourt. On 22 July 1918, Burge shot down an aircraft for the last time, destroying an Albatros D.V over Harnes. His final tally was six solo victories, three more shared victories and two enemy fighters sent down out of control. On 24 July 1918, Phillip Scott Burge was killed in action when his plane caught fire. The pilot who shot him down is generally believed to be '' Unteroffizier'' Marat Schumm of ''

Jagdstaffel 52 Royal Prussian Jagdstaffel 52, commonly abbreviated to Jasta 52, was a "hunting group" (i.e., fighter squadron) of the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the air arm of the Imperial German Army during World War I. The squadron would score over 42 aerial victor ...

''. Burge was interred in Dud Corner Cemetery in Loos, Pas-de-Calais, France. On 16 September 1918, Burge's award of the 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."

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * Shore, Christopher, et al. (1990). ''Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920''. Fortress Publications. {{DEFAULTSORT:Burge, Phillip Scott 1895 births 1918 deaths People from Potters Bar People educated at Marlborough College British Army soldiers Royal Flying Corps officers British World War I flying aces Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British military personnel killed in World War I Aviators killed by being shot down Recipients of the Military Medal Recipients of the Military Cross