Background
Branch was born in 1913 in London, the son of Charles Churchill Branch and Mary Madelaine Bernadette Branch (née Rawstron).
Branch was born in 1913 in London, the son of Charles Churchill Branch and Mary Madelaine Bernadette Branch (née Rawstron).
He was educated at Eton and Balliol College, Oxford.
He was killed in action on 11 August 1940. On 7 May 1937 he was commissioned as Pilot Officer in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. On 8 January 1938 Branch was a student pilot was flying as a passenger in a Hawker Demon with Pilot Officer Crawley when it crashed and burst into flames at Royal Air Force Upavon.
Branch escaped but then returned to the aircraft to free the trapped pilot and pull him clear.
On 9th January, 1938 an aircraft in which Pilot Officer Branch was a passenger crashed at Upavon, Wiltshire, and immediately burst into flames. Having extricated himself from the burning aircraft this officer found that the pilot was trapped in the cockpit by his legs.
Despite the danger of the petrol tank exploding, Pilot Officer Branch returned to the blazing wreckage and, whilst actually standing on burning debris, succeeded in extracting the pilot. There is little doubt that this prompt and gallant act saved the pilot"s life.
The aircraft was completely destroyed by fire.
During the Branch by then a Flying Officer was a Hawker Hurricane pilot with 145 Squadron. On 8 August 1940 he was credited with destroying two Junkers Ju 87s. A few days later on 11 August 1940 while flying Hurricane serial number P9251 he was killed in action over the English channel.
Branch was buried in the churchyard at Quiberville, France.
His name recorded on the Monument in London and at the Memorial, Capel-le-Ferne.