MCCUDDEN JAMES: (1895-1918) English Fighter Ace of World War I, Victoria Cross winner for his flying services over France, August 1917 - March 1918. A rare D.S., J. B. McCudden, Capt., one page, 4to, n.p. (France), 29^th November 1917. The carbon typed document is a combat report relating to an aerial operation carried out by McCudden, the narrative stating, in part, 'At 1.15 saw three 2-seaters coming W over the Sensee. They turned N over Vitry and when over Fresnoy I attacked the front machine from a favourable position at 2000 feet. After a short burst got a stoppage in each gun, which I rectified. Meanwhile E[nemy] A[ircraft] had glided down to 500 feet…..I dived and got behind E.A. again at 100 feet, and after firing a short burst E.A. did a terrific zoom, and both sets  of E.A's wings met above fuselage, and E.A. dropped to the ground crashed to pieces. E.A's engine rolled several yards away from the rest of the machine. I now opened my throttle but lost pressure, so put on emergency tank and engine picked up a few feet from the ground, when I was almost stalling. Being then so low I was unable to locate my whereabouts, so flew S.W. by the sun…..and eventually saw our own trenches in which there were many British troops all waving. I saw my formation a little West of me so climbed and reformed them and came home at 1.40'. Countersigned twice at the foot by R. Balcombe Brown, Commanding officer of 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, alongside two brief typed statements confirming McCudden's aerial victory, 'This is undoubtedly decisive. Machine crashed nr. Rouvroy, S. E. of Lens'. Autographs of McCudden are rare in any form as a result of his tragically early death in a flying accident at the age of 23. Very slightly neatly trimmed and with a few small, minor tears to one edge, not affecting the text or signature. About VG

 

The present document relates to McCudden's 22^nd confirmed aerial victory of World War I. In total the ace achieved 57 victories, placing him seventh on the list of the war's most successful aces.