I just had to be the first on this site to mention the man who was probably the leading British ace of the war, James Thomas Byford McCudden VC DSO* MC MM (Some researchers calculate the equally heroic, but very different temperamentally, Edward "Mick" Mannock VC as having a greater score). Sadly, the McCudden family was another that lost virtually all its young men in the war. James McCudden was a professional soldier to his fingertips. He has joined the RFC as a mechanic in 1913, and flew as an observer and a Sergeant Pilot before being commissioned. Most of his successes were with 56squadron flying the SE5a. His speciality was solo hunting of high-altitude two-seaters, and he was very good at this. He has been criticised for the fact that a high proportion of his victims were two-seaters, even higher than von Richthofen's, but that was his job - it was the two-seaters that were photographing Allied lines and spotting for artillery, and a competently flown two-seater was in no way a soft target. Doubt has been expressed about the victory totals of some aces, which included a high proportion of "out-of-control" rather than "destroyed", but McCudden's total of 57 is almost entirely verifiable. Perhaps most of all, he was a great leader with the ability to impart knowledge and skills to others; his score would have been higher if he had not been employed as an air combat instructor for a considerable time. On 9th July 1918, taking off from Auxi-Le-Chateau airfield while on the way to take command of 60 Squadron, engine failure achieved what so many Germans had failed to do, and Major Mannock crashed to his death. His death is often cited as being an example of making the elementary error (to those not in the situation) of turning back to an airfield after engine failure and stalling in the turn, rather than landing straight ahead. Only partly true. His SE5a C1126, was brand new but was found to have been fitted erroneously with a carburettor that had been fitted to the early SE5s and then superseded, because it had a tendency to cut out in sharp turns. McCudden's initial sharp turn after take-off was something he had done many times before, and when on this occassion his engine faltered, he had only a couple to seconds to decide whether or not to turn another ninety degrees back to the field, which proved fatal . As to the other McCuddens: 2/Lt John Anthony McCudden was an ace with eight victories with 84 sqdn when he was shot down by Hans Wolff of Jasta 11 on 18/3/18. Their older brother Sgt William McCudden was killed in the crash of a Bleriot at Gosport on 1/5/15. Their brother-in-law Arthur Spears was killed when the minelayer HMS Princess Irene blew up at Sheerness on 27/5/15. Their father, Sgt-Major William McCudden was killed stepping off a train in 1921, and their younger brother Maurice, just too young for the war, worked as a flight test engineer but died from colonitis in 1931.
Hi Adrian ! Not so much for you ... because I know the McCuddens are favourites of yours ! but I found this ! So much heroism, so much bad luck in one family http://www.medwaymemories.co.uk/mccudden.htm Annie
Adrian, A great man, visited the airfield he took off and crashed from on the 90th anniversary of his death and went to pay our respects at his grave the same day. It is unfortunate that the usual take off and turn that he was in the habit of doing took him over trees. Andy
Hi Jon, Good to see you on here and with your knowledge of McCudden I am sure you will be able to enlighten this forum. Andy
Hi Jonathan I thought this thread would tempt you! Is Arthur Spears still alive? Was he the son of the Arthur who died on Princess Irene? Adrian
I think he died circa 1989. Yes he was the son of Arthur Scott Spears - one of about 80 dockyard workers that perished on HMS Princess Irene. Mary Spears nee McCudden was about 3 months pregnant at the time of her husband's death. Arthur Scott Spears is remembered along with the names of all the McCudden brothers at the grave of Little Mac and Bill McCudden at Chatham. Regards, Jonathan S
I found this young sailor when I was looking for somebody else ... ( nothing to do with James McCudden of course .... but thought I would post anyways ! ) Different date of birth but the same young man ! Peter GALEA, born on 25th August 1895, joined the Royal Navy and given the service No. L3411 In Memory of Officer's Steward 3rd Class PETER GALEA L/3411, H.M.S. Princess Irene, Royal Navy who died on 27 May 1915 Remembered with honour GILLINGHAM (WOODLANDS) CEMETERY
