William ("Bill") was part of what became known as the "McCudden Syndicate"-he was one of four brothers, three of whom were killed during the Great War whilst serving with the Royal Flying Corps or its successor, the Royal Air Force. He was known as a Barrack Rat-the name given to those born at the Garrison Hospital in Brompton Barracks, Maxwell Road,in old Brompton-part of Gillingham. He was a son of Sergeant Major William Henry McCudden (Royal Engineers) and Amelia Emma McCudden, nee Byford, the daughter of a Royal Marine Drum Major.
William served with the Royal Flying Corps 13th Sqdn. Service No. 61 (he had been in the Corps before war broke out-hence his low service number.He was a Flight Sergeant (Pilot Instructor)and was killed in a flying accident at Gosport, aged 24.
He had trained both his brothers in flying and in a letter,William predicted that James had a great career ahead of him and that he would one day win the VC. William's death had a profound emotional impact on James. Of the 14,000 aircrew deaths in the Great War, 8,000 were in training accidents.
His aviator brothers, Major James Thomas Byford McCudden
and Second Lieutenant John Anthony "Jack" McCudden
also fell in the Great War-James gained the Victoria Cross and John, the Military Cross.
The McCudden brothers are also commemorated on a panel on the Carlow Great War Memorial, Leighlinbridge Memorial Garden, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Ireland which notes also that their father was born in Carlow.
(Civil Registration:
Births Jun 1891 McCudden William Thomas J Medway 2a 612
Deaths Jun 1915 McCudden William T J 24 Alverstoke 2b 773)
William served with the Royal Flying Corps 13th Sqdn. Service No. 61 (he had been in the Corps before war broke out-hence his low service number.He was a Flight Sergeant (Pilot Instructor)and was killed in a flying accident at Gosport, aged 24.
He had trained both his brothers in flying and in a letter,William predicted that James had a great career ahead of him and that he would one day win the VC. William's death had a profound emotional impact on James. Of the 14,000 aircrew deaths in the Great War, 8,000 were in training accidents.
His aviator brothers, Major James Thomas Byford McCudden
and Second Lieutenant John Anthony "Jack" McCudden
also fell in the Great War-James gained the Victoria Cross and John, the Military Cross.
The McCudden brothers are also commemorated on a panel on the Carlow Great War Memorial, Leighlinbridge Memorial Garden, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Ireland which notes also that their father was born in Carlow.
(Civil Registration:
Births Jun 1891 McCudden William Thomas J Medway 2a 612
Deaths Jun 1915 McCudden William T J 24 Alverstoke 2b 773)
William ("Bill") was part of what became known as the "McCudden Syndicate"-he was one of four brothers, three of whom were killed during the Great War whilst serving with the Royal Flying Corps or its successor, the Royal Air Force. He was known as a Barrack Rat-the name given to those born at the Garrison Hospital in Brompton Barracks, Maxwell Road,in old Brompton-part of Gillingham. He was a son of Sergeant Major William Henry McCudden (Royal Engineers) and Amelia Emma McCudden, nee Byford, the daughter of a Royal Marine Drum Major.
William served with the Royal Flying Corps 13th Sqdn. Service No. 61 (he had been in the Corps before war broke out-hence his low service number.He was a Flight Sergeant (Pilot Instructor)and was killed in a flying accident at Gosport, aged 24.
He had trained both his brothers in flying and in a letter,William predicted that James had a great career ahead of him and that he would one day win the VC. William's death had a profound emotional impact on James. Of the 14,000 aircrew deaths in the Great War, 8,000 were in training accidents.
His aviator brothers, Major James Thomas Byford McCudden
and Second Lieutenant John Anthony "Jack" McCudden
also fell in the Great War-James gained the Victoria Cross and John, the Military Cross.
The McCudden brothers are also commemorated on a panel on the Carlow Great War Memorial, Leighlinbridge Memorial Garden, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Ireland which notes also that their father was born in Carlow.
(Civil Registration:
Births Jun 1891 McCudden William Thomas J Medway 2a 612
Deaths Jun 1915 McCudden William T J 24 Alverstoke 2b 773)
William served with the Royal Flying Corps 13th Sqdn. Service No. 61 (he had been in the Corps before war broke out-hence his low service number.He was a Flight Sergeant (Pilot Instructor)and was killed in a flying accident at Gosport, aged 24.
He had trained both his brothers in flying and in a letter,William predicted that James had a great career ahead of him and that he would one day win the VC. William's death had a profound emotional impact on James. Of the 14,000 aircrew deaths in the Great War, 8,000 were in training accidents.
His aviator brothers, Major James Thomas Byford McCudden
and Second Lieutenant John Anthony "Jack" McCudden
also fell in the Great War-James gained the Victoria Cross and John, the Military Cross.
The McCudden brothers are also commemorated on a panel on the Carlow Great War Memorial, Leighlinbridge Memorial Garden, Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Ireland which notes also that their father was born in Carlow.
(Civil Registration:
Births Jun 1891 McCudden William Thomas J Medway 2a 612
Deaths Jun 1915 McCudden William T J 24 Alverstoke 2b 773)
Inscription
Also in Loving Memory of Flight Sergeant William McCudden, RFC, (Pilot Instructor) Accidentally killed while flying at Gosport 1st May 1915 aged 24 years.
"Fly on dear boys from this dark world of strife, on to the promised land of eternal life"
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