Philip Tudhope Explained

Philip Murray Tudhope
Birth Date:27 September 1898
Death Date:Unknown
Birth Place:Orange Free State
Branch:Aviation
Rank:Lieutenant
Unit:No. 46 Squadron RAF
Awards:Distinguished Flying Cross

Lieutenant Philip Murray Tudhope (born 27 September 1898, date of death unknown) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.[1]

Tudhope joined the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917. On 3 March 1918, he was assigned to 46 Squadron. On 25 April 1918, he joined with Captain Cecil Marchant and Lieutenant E. Smith to destroy an LVG two-seater reconnaissance plane. He then set afire a Pfalz D.III on 30 May. His last four victories were "out of control" wins over Fokker D.VIIs. The last two of these, on 17 September, were during a melee, and were shared with Captain Donald MacLaren and four other RAF pilots; the Fokkers fell and collided with one another.[2]

Honors and awards

For his actions in France, Tudhope received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1919. The citation read:

"On 18 October this officer displayed marked presence of mind and initiative. Seeing an enemy battery proceeding along a road towards a town which he knew was held by our troops, Lieut. Tudhope descended to a low altitude to accelerate its progress. So successful was this manoeuvre that the leading gun was driven into the hands of our infantry and captured; the remainder wheeled about and retired, pursued by this officer."[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Philip Murray Tudhope . www.theaerodrome.com . 21 February 2010.
  2. Book: Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920 . Grub Street . Shores, Christopher F. . 1990 . 0-948817-19-4.
  3. Web site: Philip Murray Tudhope . https://web.archive.org/web/20121106233051/http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/1898-09-27;1998-01-01/exact=philip+murray+tudhope/start=1 . 6 Nov 2012 . www.london-gazette.co.uk . 21 February 2010.