
Burke C J Major DSO 18th Royal Irish Regiment Attd Royal Flying Corps
BURKE, CHARLES JAMES, D.S.O., Major (Temp. Lient. Col.) 18th (Service) Battn. The Royal Irish Regt., 3rd s. of the late Michael Christopher Burke, of Ballinhone House, Armagh, by his wife, Amy Jervaise; b. Armagh, 9 March, 1882: educ. King’s School, Bruton; obtained a commission 22 May, 1900: served in the South African War, 1899-1901 (Queen’s Medal with five clasps), and later with the West African Frontier Force in 1910 he was employed at the Acroplane and Balloon School, and flew the first aeroplane purchased by the British Government; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Aug. 1914, being attached to the Royal Flying Corps until May, 1916; took a pilot’s certificate of the French Aero Club the following Nov., and was killed in action during the Battle of Arras on 9 April, 1917, while in command of the 1st Battn. The East Lancashire Regt. Buried in Effie Trench Cemetery, Altier-les-Arras. Major Burke was three times mentioned in Despatches [London Gazettes, 9 Dec. 1914 and 1 Jan. 1916] by F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French, and London Gazette, 22 May, 1917 by F.M. Sir Douglas Haig, and was also awarded the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 18 Feb. 1915], for gallant and distinguished service in the field. He m. in London, 28 April, 1909, Beatrice Osborn, dau, of William Shakespeare, and had four children: Michael Robert James, b. 16 Sept. 1912: Charles Graham, b. 3 Jan. 1914; Amy Beatrice, b. 18 Jan. 1910, and Vivienne Doreen, b. 27 Sept. 1911.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5