July 1918 saw the demise of three of the highest scoring aces of the First World War. All had Irish connections, all flew Se5as, and all except one, were shot down for breaking one of the golden rules of aerial combat: never follow the enemy down to within range of Archie fire.
At the beginning of July 1918, James McCudden, who was the third of six children to an Irish father, was already highly decorated having recently received the Victoria Cross. On the 9th July 1918, and with an...