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Philip Game
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Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO (30 March 1876 – 4 February 1961) was a British Royal Air Force commander, who later served as Governor of New South Wales, Australia, and Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London.
ip Game was born in Streatham, Surrey in England on 30 March 1876 to George Beale Game, a merchant from Broadway in Worcestershire and his wife Clara, née Vincent. Before entering the Army, he was educated at Charterhouse.
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Air Vice-Marshal Sir Philip Woolcott Game GCB, GCVO, GBE, KCMG, DSO (30 March 1876 – 4 February 1961) was a British Royal Air Force commander, who later served as Governor of New South Wales, Australia, and Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London.
Early and family life
Philip Game was born in Streatham, Surrey in England on 30 March 1876 to George Beale Game, a merchant from Broadway in Worcestershire and his wife Clara, née Vincent. Before entering the Army, he was educated at Charterhouse. In 1908 he married Gwendoline Margaret Hughes-Gibb. They had three children, Philip (known as Bill), David and Rosemary.
Military service
Following officer training at the Royal Military Academy Woolwich, Game was commissioned into the British Army on 2 November 1895. During the early part of the First World War, he served as a staff officer and in early 1916 Game transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a result of Hugh Trenchard's request for an experienced staff officer to serve in his HQ. Game transferred to the Royal Air Force on its creation in 1918. In 1922 he was promoted to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal and appointed Air Officer Commanding RAF India. The next year he took up the post of Air Member for Personnel, which he was to hold for over five years until his retirement from the RAF in 1929.
Governor of New South Wales
He was appointed Governor of New South Wales in 1930, serving until 1935. Along with the Premier Jack Lang and others, Game was a participant at the official opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 19 March 1932, where he made a speech.
After the United Australia Party federal government of Joseph Lyons came to power in January 1932, it passed the Financial Agreement Enforcement Act, forcing the NSW government to adhere to its debt commitments and to cut government spending (see also ). In response, Lang withdrew all the state's funds from government bank accounts so the federal government could not gain access to the money. Sir Philip advised Lang that in his view this action was illegal, and that if Lang did not reverse it he would dismiss the government. Lang stood firm, and issued a leaflet in defiance of Game. On 13 May 1932 the Governor dismissed Lang's government and appointed the UAP leader, Bertram Stevens, as Premier. However, Lang was not the first to hear of his dismissal. The pianist Isador Goodman, who had been befriended by Sir Philip and Lady Game, was at Government House for dinner that night. There were a number of interruptions, and Goodman asked if he perhaps ought to leave. Game replied "No, that's not necessary, you see, I am about to dismiss the Premier". Stevens immediately called an election, at which Lang's party was heavily defeated.
This was the first case of an Australian government with the confidence of the lower house of parliament being dismissed by a Vice-Regal representative, the second case being when Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed Gough Whitlam's government on 11 November 1975.
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
After his term ended, Game returned to Britain. He served as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis from 1935 until 1945. Not long after his appointment, Game was responsible for the policing of the funeral of King George V. In 1943, in an attempt to prevent burglaries, Game urged householders not to keep furs, adapting a verse from Chapter 9 of Ecclesiastes saying, Towards the end of his time as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Game worked to establish a boys' club. The Sir Philip Game Boys' Club, situated in the London borough of Croydon, was opened in 1946.
Sir Philip Game died on 4 February 1961.
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