Philip Sidney Burgess

Flying Officer Philip Sidney Burgess was born in 1923 in Kent, the son of Willis and Marie Taylor Burgess. He had an older brother, Carroll Thomas Burgess, who was born in 1920, served in the Royal Engineers during the war, and passed away in 2003. Carroll and Phil were orphaned young and were brought up by a couple in Folkestone, the Rowlands, who operated a well known sweet shop in the town. Philip attended the Harvey Grammar School, and joined the Royal Air Force during World War II, training as a navigator in Canada. His first combat assignment was to 61 Squadron, a Lancaster unit, where he was crewed with pilot Flight Sergeant Ian "Woody" Woodward of the RNZAF and future 617 Squadron crewmate Flying Officer Charlie Williams, RAAF. Like Williams, Burgess was asked by 61 Squadron pilot Norm Barlow to join his crew for a secret mission on a special squadron being formed for the purpose; it's not known but it is possible that he was brought in on the same terms as Williams, with the remaining ops of his first tour forgiven. Burgess, his friend Charlie Williams, and the rest of the crew of Lancaster ED927/G "E Easy" were killed on the night of 16 May 1943 during Operation Chastise, the Dams raid.