McCudden War Memorial and Grave

Heritage listing

Details Family grave and war memorial, 1920. DESCRIPTION: The McCudden war memorial and grave is located in Maidstone Road Cemetery. It is of polished, grey granite and takes the form of a cross fleurée rising from a four-sided, tapering plinth, which surmounts a single step, square base. Carved in relief to the west face of the cross is a sword and scabbard with belt hung over the cross. The dedications are to the plinth and base in incised lettering. To one side of the plinth is the dedication, IN LOVING MEMORY/ OF/ MAJOR/ JAMES T. BYFORD MCCUDDEN V.C./ D.S.O. AND BAR., M.C. AND BAR.,/ M.M., CROIX DE GUERRE DE FRANCE/ AND AMERICAN MEDAL, R.A.F/ ACCIDENTALLY KILLED WHILE FLYING/ ON HIS WAY TO DUTY IN FRANCE,/ 9TH JULY 1918,/AGED 23 YEARS/ R.I.P. To the west face of the plinth is the dedication, ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ FLIGHT SERGEANT WILLIAM MCCUDDEN R.F.C./ (PILOT INSTRUCTOR),/ ACCIDENTALLY KILLED WHILE FLYING AT GOSPORT/ 1ST MAY 1915,/ AGED 24 YEARS./ ALSO/ 2ND LIEUT JOHN ANTHONY MCCUDDEN , M.C., R.F.C./ (PILOT),/ KILLED IN AERIAL COMBAT/ OVER BUSIGNY, NEAR LE CATEAU, FRANCE/ 18TH MARCH 1918,/ AGED 20 YEARS./ R.I.P. To the other side of the plinth is the dedication, ALSO/ ARTHUR SCOTT SPEARS,/ THEIR BROTHER IN LAW,/ KILLED BY THE EXPLOSION IN/ H.M.S. "PRINCESS IRENE"/ 27TH MAY 1915,/ AGED 29 YEARS./ R.I.P./ ALSO/ MAURICE VINCENT MCCUDDEN/ LATE R.A.F.,/ LAST SON OF MRS. A. MCCUDDEN/ AND THE LATE W.H. MCCUDDEN,/ WHO DIED 13TH DECEMBER 1934. To the east face of the plinth is the dedication, ALSO IN LOVING MEMORY OF/ THEIR FATHER/ WILLIAM H. MCCUDDEN,/ LATE WARRANT OFFICER, R.E./ WHO DIED OF INJURIES ACCIDENTALLY/ RECEIVED ON THE RAILWAY ON JULY 5TH 1920/ AGED 56 YEARS./ R.I.P. A further inscription is recorded on the west face of the base, which reads, FLY ON DEAR BOY

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.