Branse Burbridge

Infobox Military Person
name=Branse Burbridge
lived=1921 - ???
placeofbirth= East Dulwich, London
placeofdeath=


caption=
nickname=
allegiance=flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
branch=
serviceyears=1940 - 1945
rank=Wing Commander
commands=
battles=World War II
*Battle of Britain
awards=Distinguished Service Order & Bar
Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar
laterwork=Scripture Union
Wing Commander Branse Burbridge DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar of 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force was the top scoring Allied night fighter pilot of World War II.

Born in East Dulwich on 4 February 1921, Burbridge lived in Kenbworth when war broke out, working as an insurance clerk. For the first six months of the war he was a conscientious objector, but realising the war was a just cause joined the RAF in September 1940.

After completing training at 54 OTU Church Fenton he was posted to 85 Squadron in October 1941, flying Douglas Havoc night fighters. Tour-expired, he was posted to 62 OTU and then to 141 and 157 squadron. He returned to 85 in July 1943 as a Flight Lieutenant. Burbridge was to gain far more success flying Mosquitoes with 85, initially on home defence duties prior to June 1944, then on Bomber Support operations with 100 Group against the Luftwaffe's "Nachtgeschwaders". With radar operator F/L 'Bill' Skelton, he claimed 21 kills over the next ten months, 16 over occupied Europe. They opened their account on 22 February 1944, destroying a Messerschmitt Me 410. The pair shot down a total of 21 enemy aircraft and three V1 flying bombs, the total including a Bf 110 and three Ju 88Gs during the night of November 4/5 1944. On this occasion Burbridge fired only 200 rounds of ammunition in downing four enemy aircraft. Their score of enemy aircraft destroyed made them the top night-fighting crew in the RAF.

Burbridge is quoted as saying "I always tried to aim for the wings of enemy aircraft and not the cockpit. I never wanted to kill anyone."

A committed Christian, Burbridge went on to become a full-time Christian worker for Scripture Union after the war.

References

*'Aces High' Chistopher Shores & Clive Williams (grub street 1991) page 157Rewritten from material at:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200408/ai_n9458173

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/andrewbrooks1/pw_mosquito_hawks.html

* "Fighter & Bomber Squadrons at War"; Brooks, A; ISBN 1-85648-246-4