#OnThisDay 1917 Lt-Colonel Charles Burke DSO, from Armagh was a Boer War vet who later became a pioneer of military aviation was killed by a shell on the first day of the Battle of Arras. Burke had served with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, then with the Royal Irish Regiment but then joined the British Army’s Balloon School. His love of aviation took off (excuse the pun). He wrote the first article on air power for the Royal United Services Institute and wrote the 29 Rules for flying. Burke eventually became the first Commanding Officer for No.2 Wing of the Royal Flying Corps.
He transferred back to his old unit, the Royal Irish Regiment in summer of 1916 when they were drastically short on officers. He was commanding the 1Bn East Lancashire Regiment at the time of his death.
