Wye - Kent Fallen

LEVY A.G
Second Lieutenant Alwyne Gordon LEVY. 42 nd Training Squadron, Royal Air Force
(RAF). Wye Aerodrome. Died
in a Flying Accident Kennington 25 th April 1918. Buried Willesden (St Mary’s) Jewish
Cemetery, Willesden, London.
Alwyne was killed in a flying accident whilst stationed at the nearby Wye aerodrome, Bramble
Lane, Wye. On Thursday 25 th April 1918 Alwyne was piloting a Sopwith Pup machine on a
training mission from Wye Aerodrome. His machine was involved in a mid air collision with
another machine (Avro Trainer) from Wye being piloted by Lieutenant Cyril WHELAN. The
Avro had a observer on board - Lieutenant Edmund MARRABLE. Both machines came
down near the Golden Ball Public House. All three officers were killed outright. All officers
involved in this flying accident appear here as Ashford men. It seems inconceivable that none
were included on any local war memorial…
After the accident Alwyne’s body was returned to his parents somewhere in London and they
buried him in the Willesden Jewish Cemetery.
McCARTER D
Second Lieutenant Duncan McCARTER. 42 nd Training Squadron, Royal Air Force. Wye
Aerodrome. Formerly Royal Flying Corps (RFC). Died in a Flying Accident over
Willesborough 1 st May 1918. Son of James and Jemima McCarter of 12 Bright Terrace,
Edinburgh, Scotland. Buried Edinburgh (North Merchiston) Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Duncan was killed outright when his machine nose dived into the ground in a field beside the
River Stour at South Willesborough. Mr John Leeds a local resident remembers being taken
to see the wreckage as an 11 year old boy. He remembers that the pilots body had made an
impression in the ground some eight inches deep! Death must have been instant.
After the accident Duncan’s body was recovered by his parents to Scotland and he was
buried in Edinburgh with full military honours.
It is not known how this man came to be forgotten by those in Ashford and Wye. His name
should have been placed on a local civic tribute but it never was…