Higgins was born at Hodthorpe, Whitwell, Derbyshire in 1914 and was known as “Burley” in his family. He attended Brunts Grammar School, Mansfield, trained as a teacher and taught at his old Church of England junior school in Whitwell. He was a noted athlete, footballer and cricketer.
He joined the RAFVR in August 1938 as an Airman u/t Pilot and carried out his elementary flying training at Tollerton. Called up on 1 September 1939, he completed his training at 5 Flying Training School, Sealand. Those with him on the course included John Gurteen and Denis Helcke, who would both be killed in the Battle of Britain.
Burley Higgins joined No 32 Squadron at Biggin Hill on 18 June 1940, direct from 5 FTS. He flew his first operational sortie on 3 July and shared a Do 17, on the 20th he probably destroyed a Bf 110, on 12 August he probably destroyed a Bf 109 and on the 24th he shot down another.
On 9 September Sergeant Higgins was posted to No 253 Squadron at Kenley, which had been in the front line for just over a week and had suffered significant casualties. On the 11th he destroyed a Bf 109, shared a Do 17 and damaged a Bf 110. On the early evening of the 14th he was shot down in combat with Bf 109s, his Hurricane, P 5184, crashing in flames into an orchard at Swanton Bridge, Bredgar, Kent.
A civilian pulled Higgins from the fire, but he was dead. Sergeant John “Andy” Anderson of 253 baled out, severely burned, during the same action and would become a member of the Guinea Pig Club.
Higgins is buried in St Lawrence’s churchyard, Whitwell.
