Sir Philip Woolcott Game (30 March 1876 – 4 February 1961) was a Royal Air Force commander, who later served as Governor of New South Wales and Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis (London). Born in Surrey in 1876, Game was educated at Charterhouse School and entered the military at Royal Military Academy Woolwich, gaining his commission in 1895. Serving with the Royal Artillery, Game saw action in the Second Boer War and the First World War. After serving with distinction and bravery, Game transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in early 1916 serving as General Trenchard's chief staff officer. Finishing the War as an acting major-general, Game remained in the Royal Air Force after the close of hostilities. Notably he served as Air Officer Commanding RAF India and Air Member for Personnel. He retired from the military in 1929, having reached the rank of air vice-marshal.
In March 1930, Game was appointed Governor of New South Wales, serving during a time of political instability and coming into conflict with the NSW Labor government over attempts to abolish the New South Wales Legislative Council. Game dismissed the Government of Premier Jack Lang in May 1932, forcing the 1932 election. Ending his term in January 1935, Game returned to Britain and was appointed Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police in London. He held it during the tumultuous 1930s, the 1936 abdication crisis and the Second World War, before retiring at the end of the war in Europe in 1945. Between 1937 and 1949 he resided at Langham House, Ham Common, Surrey and was Vicar's Warden at St. Andrews church. Retiring with his wife Gwendoline to his home in Kent, Game died in February 1961, aged 84.). As a young artillery captain he was made officer in charge of the gun carriage bearing the coffin of Queen Victoria at her funeral in February 1901. Following brief postings in India and Ireland, Game attended the Staff College, Camberley in 1910 and was posted as a General Service Officer (GSO) at the War Office. He later won the Royal United Services Institute Gold Medal Essay. On 11 August 1908 he married Gwendolen Margaret Hughes-Gibb (1882–1972), the daughter of Francis Hughes-Gibb of Dorset, and was promoted as a major on 15 February 1912. 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 headquarters. Game transferred to the Royal Air Force on its creation in 1918. At the end of the war, Game continued to work under Trenchard, but as Director of Training and Organisation in the RAF. 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 and was appointed as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) a year later. Game retired suddenly on 1 January 1929, at the age of 52, allegedly owing to the rumours of his being appointed Chief of the Air Staff.
Governor of New South Wales
At the height of the Great Depression, Game was appointed Governor of New South Wales in March 1930. He arrived in Sydney with his family aboard the P&O liner, RMS Moldavia on 29 May 1930. On 30 June 1930, Game was appointed by King George V as a Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of St John (KStJ). At the October 1930 State elections the Bavin Nationalist Government was defeated and the Labor Party leader, Jack Lang, became Premier.
Legislative Council abolition
Lang's previous term of office from 1925 to 1927 had brought him into conflict with Game's predecessor, Sir Dudley de Chair, over the proposed appointment of additional members to the Legislative Council, in order to enable the abolition of the house, using the same techniques used to abolish the Queensland Legislative Council in 1922. His inability to gain control in the Upper House obstructed Lang's legislative programme and in November 1930, claiming a mandate to abolish the council, Lang's Labor MLCs put forward two bills, one to repeal section 7A of the NSW Constitution (which prevented the abolition of the Council without a referendum), the other to abolish the council. Lang requested the necessary additional appointments to pass the legislation from Game. However, these requests were met with Game's refusal. Lang immediately prepared an appeal to the High Court of Australia. In the case of Attorney-General (New South Wales) v Trethowan, the appeal was rejected by a majority(3-2) of the court. Lang then appealed this decision to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. On 31 May 1932 the Privy Council dismissed the government's appeal.
Reflecting his status as a representative of the British Government, Game at all times informed the Dominions Office of political developments. In hard financial times, NSW soon came into conflict with the federal government as Lang's unorthodox financial policy opposed the economic orthodoxy advocated by Sir Otto Niemeyer, who was the main financial advisor to the Federal Scullin Labor government and later the Lyons United Australia Party Government. In July 1931, in a personal contribution towards economic recovery, Game notified Treasury to make a 25% deduction from his own monthly salary.
In March and June 1931 Lang repeatedly requested the necessary 80 appointments to swamp the council and prevent obstruction to his legislation. Game again refused, offering 21 appointments, which were enough to pass some of the legislation but not the most controversial bills, including the bill to default on debts.thumb|right|250px|Ribbon ceremony to open the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 19 March 1932. Premier Lang cuts the ribbon while Game looks on.
During this Game questioned the result if Lang won the appeal to the Privy Council and the Legislative Council was abolished. Various correspondence between him and London confirms that had Lang succeeded, Game may have refused assent to the abolition bills, thereby making it the first time it had been withheld since 1708. This potential situation disappeared, however, with the judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on 31 May 1932. The judgment dismissed the appeal by the Government of New South Wales. The bills repealing Section 7A and abolishing the Legislative Council could not therefore be presented to the Governor for assent until they had been passed in a referendum.
thumb|left|230px|Sir Philip and Lady Game are farewelled by Premier Stevens on board [[RMS Niagara, upon their departure on 15 January 1935.]]
Game appointed the Leader of the Opposition, Bertram Stevens of the UAP, as caretaker Premier. Stevens formed a coalition with Michael Bruxner's Country Party and immediately called an election, at which Lang's NSW Labor 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. Game himself felt his decision was the right one, despite his personal liking of Lang. He wrote to his mother-in-law on 2 July 1932: "Still with all his faults of omission and commission I had and still have a personal liking for Lang and a great deal of sympathy for his ideals and I did not at all relish being forced to dismiss him. But I felt faced with the alternative of doing so or reducing the job of Governor all over the Empire to a farce." Lang himself, despite objecting to his dismissal, conceded that he too liked Game, regarding him as fair and polite, and having had good relations with him.
End of term
During his governorship Game was the patron of several organisations including the District and Bush Nursing Associations and the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales, and was Chief Scout of the NSW Boy Scouts Association. Lady Game was President of the District and Bush Nursing Associations and the Girl Guides Association. The rest of his term was fairly uneventful, and he returned to Britain following the expiration of his term on 15 January 1935. Before he left Sydney he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), on the recommendation of Premier Stevens, for his service as governor. In honour of their service to the state, in 1933 Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council named a major road in Lindfield as Lady Game Drive, and a nearby park as Sir Phillip Game Reserve. In memory of Game's time as governor, a portrait was commissioned by public subscription and painted by R.G. Eves. It was then displayed at the National Art Gallery of New South Wales before being presented to Government House.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner
thumb|right|200px|Commissioner Game (left) with the [[Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester|Duke and Duchess of Gloucester at Euston Station on the eve of their departure for Australia in 1945.]]
Upon his return to Britain, Game served as Metropolitan Police Commissioner from November 1935 until 1945, the last senior armed forces officer to be appointed to that post (with the exception of his immediate successor, a senior civil servant, all successive commissioners have been career police officers). Not long after his appointment Game was responsible for policing the funeral of King George V and the 1937 Coronation of George VI and Elizabeth. His time in the post also saw the experimental introduction of patrol dogs at Peckham in 1938.
Serving as Commissioner during very tumultuous times, Game had to deal with Fascist and Communist demonstrations, a bombing campaign waged by the Irish Republican Army and, during the Second World War, the organisation of the police role in air-raid precautions and relief. He dealt effectively with those problems and the consequent improvement in police morale was an important factor in the survival of London during the concentrated German air attack of 1940–41.
Towards the end of his time as Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Game worked to establish a boys' club. The Sir Philip Game Boys' Club, situated in Croydon, was opened in 1946. The club was officially opened on 19 July 1947 in Game's presence by the then Home Secretary, James Chuter Ede. On 2 May 1945 Game was appointed a Knight Grand Cross (GCB) in the Civil Division of the Order of the Bath (he was already a Knight Commander in the Military Division of the same Order); His second son David, a lieutenant of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, had been killed in 1943 at age 29, while on active service at Taranto, Italy. His daughter Rosemary recalled her childhood and her father's work in her 1989 memoir, Growing Up at Government House. New premises for the Boys' Club named after him were completed in 1964 and officially opened on 8 May 1966 by the then Home Secretary, Sir Frank Soskice, in the presence of Game's widow, who unveiled a plaque in memory of her husband.
Honours
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|rowspan=3|80px || Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) || 1945
|-
|80px || Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) || 1937
|-
|}
Honorific eponyms
- Governor Game Lookout, Royal National Park (1932).
- Sir Phillip Game Reserve and Lady Game Drive, Lindfield (1933).