Alfred Edwin McKay
Alfred Edwin McKay | |
|---|---|
 McKay in 1915 | |
| Nickname(s) | Eddie |
| Born | 27 December 1892 Brussels,Ontario,Canada |
| Died | 28 December 1917 (aged 25) |
| Allegiance | Canada/United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Flying Corps |
| Years of service | 1916–1917 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 24 Squadron 23 Squadron |
| Awards | Military Cross |
CaptainAlfred Edwin "Eddie" McKayMC(27 December 1892 – 28 December 1917) was aCanadianflying acewho flew with theRoyal Flying Corpsduring theFirst World War.
Civilian life
[edit]The son of William and Mary McKay, he was born on 27 December 1892 in Brussels,Ontario,Canada. He later moved toLondon, Ontarioto enroll in a Faculty of Arts program at theUniversity of Western Ontario.Once there, McKay excelled in varsity athletics. In particular, his speed was often cited by a student newspaper –The Western University Gazette– as a reason for the success of Western's 1915 Canadian Junior Championship rugby team.
Involvement in the First World War
[edit]
Around March 1916, McKay completed his training at theWright Aviation SchoolinAugusta, Georgia,and shipped off to Europe as a member of theRoyal Flying Corps.An editorial that appeared inThe Western University Gazettein the same month, described Eddie was as a "careful" flyer who was one of the best pilots ever produced at Wright. He was assigned to24 Squadronwhere he flew anAirco D.H.2and recorded four victories between 20 July 1916 and 25 January 1917. For his efforts, McKay was promoted to captain and transferred to train new pilots. Later that year, he cited boredom when he requested to be moved back into a combat role. Subsequently, McKay was reassigned to23 Squadronflying the French madeSpad S. VII.He earned his final six victories (bringing his total to ten) within a one-month period stretching from 19 November 1917 to 18 December 1917. During a 26 October dogfight, McKay was pursued by German aceManfred von Richthofenwhen they disruptedOswald BoelckeandErwin Bohme's attack on Alfred Gerald Knight.[1]McKay and Knight confirmed that Boelcke collided with Bohme during the assault. On 28 December 1917, McKay was shot down over Belgium. Jasta 2's LeutnantCarl Menckhoffwas credited with the victory, although a German 2-seater also claimed a SPAD at this time and place. InAbove the Trenches,Christopher Shores suggests that McKay became a prisoner of war after being shot down,[2]but Veteran Affairs Canada lists the 28th as the day he was killed in action.[3]
Eddie McKay in public memory
[edit]McKay has been commemorated on page 579 of the First World War Book of Remembrance and on theArras Memorialin the Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery,Arras.In 1920, a local citizen named William Haddon donated the Eddie McKay Cup to the Public School Hockey League inLondon, Ontario.The cup was meant to be in honor of McKay's "athletic manhood and enthusiasm for sport". In November 2007 a fourth year history class atKing's University Collegeplaced a commemorative marker in McKay's memory on theUniversity of Western Ontariocampus.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Pusher Aces of World War 1.p. 45.
- ^Shores, Christopher et al.Above the Trenches: a complete record of the fighter aces and units of the British Empire air forces, 1915–1920.(Stoney Creek, Ontario): Fortress Publications, 1990.
- ^"Search Details – Veterans Affairs Canada".Archived fromthe originalon 8 December 2010.Retrieved13 June2020.
External links
[edit]
- Aerodrome profileon Eddie McKay.
- Canada – Book of Remembrance
- Canadian Virtual War Memorial
- London Free Pressarticle about dedication
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