Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi,

I'm searching informations of the combat career of Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, DSC, MiD, RCNVR (Retd) (RNZNVR), who flown a Sea Hurricane Mk. IIc NF 672- (7K), “Nicki”, of No. 835 Sqn, in June 1944, on boardo of HMS Nairana.


Did he have some air victory?

Thank's a lot!

Franklin

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Franklin,

Sub/Lt. Allan Russell Burgham, RNZNVR claimed a Ju-290 on May 26, 1944 at 0720 hours, 41-03N, 18-27W. He was flying the Hurricane that you listed. CR: ADM 199/838-476.

Frank.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Burgham had originally served with 804 Sqn, seeing no action before transferring to 835. He became senior pilot in 1944. His first kill was over a Ju290 of FAGr.5 He claimed a second kill on 10 February 1945 over a Ju88A-17 of KG26. He may also have claimed a probable over a Ju88 the previous day. He is mentioned in a few books which cover convoy RA/JW64.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi, Frank and Keith,

Thank's for your help!

:)

Cheers,
Franklin

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Franklin was asking about the war record of Lt Cmdr Allen Burgham. What is it you want to know exactly? He was Senior Pilot of 835 Squadron,, flight commander of the fighter component of a composite squadron.He shot down a Junkers 290 in early 1944 near the Bay of Biscay during a return to England with a Gibralter convoy, losing his Number Two in the fight. Later he shot down a Junkers 88 on a Murmansk convoy and set another Junkers 88 on fire, but did not see it crash. Records indicate that it did not get back to Norway

He became the first man in history to land a day fighter at night on the deck of an aircraft carrier after volunteering to repel a night attack on the convoy. That action also reulted in the loss of his Number Two pilot.

The Murmansk actions were flown in Wildcat IVs. The Gibralter actions were flown in Hurricane IICs. More?

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Does anyone have the PRO references to the combat reports from the Murmansk convoy action? Did anybody else make any claims? I must have missed them when I went through the ADM/ files.

Frank.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

The Murmansk claims seem to be confused. I have tried for years to separate ship AA claims from those of 813 and 835 Squadron. I believe 835 claimed 4, with 5 probables. 835 were flying the Wildcat VI.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi guys

While on the subject of FAA combats, losses and claims, has anyone been able to determine who claimed what during the Sepember 1942 PQ18 convoy? I have requested this information before, but to no avail. Sea Hurricanes from 802 and 833 Squadrons operated from HMS Avenger and were credited with several kills, but who scored? DSCs were subsequently awarded to two pilots for their part in the operation, but I have not seen citations. They were Lt AR Laurie and S/Lt IP Garrow. A DSO went to Lt PWV Massy DSC.

In hope

Brian

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

From the information I have I think Laurie and Garrow (802 Sqn) shared claims for a Ju88 and a He111, with another damaged. SLt PJ Williams added another Ju88. Massy (883 Sqn) claimed a He111, and another probable. Only 5 kills are registered and its possible that Garrow and Laurie each claimed 2 but I think shared claims are more likely.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

The Murmansk convoy saw kills to

06.2.45 1-0-0 ju88 Lt RA Fleischmann-Allen/813,
07.2.45 0-1-0 ju88 SLt Armitage, SLtSargent/835
09.2.45 0-1-0 JU88 Lt AL Burgham/835
10.2.45 0-2-1 ju88 SLt PJW Davies, Lt JA Quigg/813
10.2.45 1-0-0 ju88 SLt Mearns, SLt Moss/835
10.2.45 1-0-0 ju88 Lt AL Burgham/835
20.2.45 0-1-0 ju88 SLt Sargent, SLt OK Armitage/835
20.2.45 1-0-0 ju88 SLt PH Blanco, SLt GD Gordon/835

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Keith,

Do you know where in the NA/PRO to find the combat reports for the combats of 835 Sqn that you listed above? I have the reports for 813 Sqn, although only 0/1/1 for Feb 10 (I must recheck that one). I will be at the PRO in September/October, and would like to get copies of the 835 Sqn reports. I would have thought that they should be in the same bound volume as the 813 reports, but I must have missed them.

If you do not know where the combat reports are, what is your source for the above information? Roskill doesn't usually give that kind of detail, and in this case at least Brown (Carrier Operations in WW2, Vol 1) gives only the totals of 4/5/0.

Frank.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Sorry Frank,

I replied earlier but it disappeared. my information comes from Ray Sturtivants "Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939-1945" (Grumman Wildcat fm2/Wildcat VI) and Barringers "Alone in a wide, wide sea". Along with "Bring back my Stringbag" by John Godfrey and half a dozen others dealing with the Russian convoys.

Good luck with your search. I would be interested if there was a definitive record of claims. It seems to differ with every work I have read.

regards

Keith

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

One correction to my list: Lt Richard A Fleischmann-allen shared one of 813 Squadrons probables with Davies on 10/02/45, not Twigg as I have written.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Keith

I have a note that both Quigg and Davies were shot down by own ships' gunfire on 8/3/45 following combat when two Ju88s were claimed probably destroyed. Not sure if this information is correct/accurate, though.

Cheers
Brian

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Brian,

This event happened on the 10/2/45 after they'd claimed their victories! It just shows how good AA aircraft recognition was!

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Keith,

Besides Burgham there are two other RNZNVR pilots in this list: Slt Armitage and Lt JA Quigg. Can you help me with more information about claims made by one other RNZNVR pilot? Lt(A) AC Martin 896 Sqn/HMS Pursuer he made claims aginst german bomber(s) in the same area and and period (according to the official history of The Royal New Zealand Navy during WW II).

Thanks in advance
Peter

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

While Burgham was credited with one Ju 88 on the 9th and one on the 10th, he in fact did set another on fire on the 10th but it disappeared into cloud`and he did not see it go into the sea. He was flying a Wildcat VI at the time. The great feats of flying during those convoys out and back were the desperate weather conditions with winds on the 17th of February still gustinbg to over 70 miles per hour. And of course it was dark. These were not night fighters! The ship was only 68 feet wide and had a useable deck landing space of 490 feet.
Many Luftwaffe crews that survived the attack of the 17th, a direct order from Goering to "get the carrier" as a present for Hitler on his bithday, did not make it back. Those that did escape the combat were damaged or low on fuel and many crashed into the Norwegian mountains.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

By the way Keith, Burgham not only lost his NUmber two, Charles Richardson, in action in thier Hurricanes in 1944 but also lost his Number Two, "Dusty" Miller in action during combat in December of 1944. That was to friendly fire when Miller, in the dark, was coming in to land with full landing lights on, undercarriage down and waggling his wings. The admiral, McGrigor was furious. The fire probably came from the cruiser HMS Bellona. That same time Bellona opened up on Burgham as he came in after flying on instruments and attempting to find the convoy for over an hour and being directed by Nairana's Fighter Direction Officer. For those actions Burgham was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Keith and Frank,
The official reports do exist. I have also found a copy of Burgham's official personal battle report of the Junker's 290 encounter earler in 1944.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Frank, Richard,Robert, Peter and Keith

A very interesting thread I read on TOCH

I have sent you all a private message but would be very interested to know more about the air combat regarding the aircraft from the escort carrier(s) and the Ju88's.

I hope to hear from you soon

regards

Mark

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Mark,

You'll find accounts of the air battles in Barringers "Alone on a wide, wide sea" as well as in "Bring back my stringbag", "Wings of the morning" and just about any of the books that deal with Royal Navy Wildcats/Martlets. I don't know why it's so well written about when we have very little about some very epic convoy battle in 1941 and 1942.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Mark,

I´m afraid that I can not give you much help. Most of what I know about the combats comes from this forum and the official history of the Royal New Zealand Navy (you can find it on http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy.html).

Cheers
Peter

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Keith,
You have noted one Ju 88 to Burgham on the 9th and one on the 10th.His log book notes that he had crack at a second Junkers on the 10th which disappeared into cloud but not before he had knocked pieces off it.

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Mark Sheppard. Robert Todd has attemoted to reach you for help with your project. Please post a line of continuing interest and I will reply with a private e-mail

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

It's massively difficult to work out who claimed what on this convoy. One of my sources indicates a Wildcat shared a victory with ships AA, but I haven't been able to work out which pilot this was. Perhaps Burghams second on that date?

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hello Keith,

Burgham's log reads two Junkers 88s on Feb 10. His own account to me verbally was that the second one was smoking when it disappeared into clouds. But it was the weather that was the greatest enemy on that convoy out to Murmansk and back. Lowest barometric pressure readings by the met office during the entire war. They exist at a military club in London as evidence of the amazing weather. It was for that that so many of his squadron received Dinstinguished Service Crosses

Re: Lt.-Cmdr Allen Burgham, No. 835 Squadron
 

Hi Robert,

Just when I think I have a grasp of the claims you introduce something else ;-)

If he was given credit for 2 Ju88 this promotes him into a very rare breed - FAA pilots who claimed 3 kills! It would also make 835 one of the highest scoring FAA Wildcat squadrons, and probably the highest scoring Escort Carrier squadron? The main question however is - was it confirmed?

regards

Keith