Themes

JM D’Arcy-Levy

Article Highlights

Fighting the Bolsheviks in Russia

The RNAS disbanded in 1918. When Levy returned to England he joined the recently formed Royal Air Force. He first joined No 29 training squadron before moving to No 47 squadron. In the early summer of 1919 the squadron flew to Russia to assist the White Russians. The White Russians supported the Tsar in fighting against the Bolsheviks and a communist regime.

Image

Letter from J M d'Arcy Levy to Lylie Cressingham, it is dated 4th Feb 1919. In the letter Levy writes about his struggles to get a permenant commission in the RAF after the war is finished and he has been released from the prisoner of war camp. (FAA)

Follow the link to see the letter or to read the transcript.

On August 10th 1919 the squadron received orders to bomb the village of Gorodok. Levy took off with C. E. Buck as his observer, and followed the River Dwina to Gorodok and successfully dropped their bombs.

On the journey home they lost their way in severe mist. After hours of being lost fuel was running low and Levy had to land the plane. They made a perfect landing in a field and climbed out to work out where they were.

Levy saw a soldier approaching and went to speak to him. Buck watched as Levy grabbed the soldier's rifle away from him and made a run back to the aircraft. He realised that the men were enemy Bolsheviks soldiers.

Buck returned to the aircraft and waited for further orders. Levy tried to start the engine, but as he opened the throttle it spluttered and stopped. He got out of the aircraft to turn the propeller, but the soldiers caught up to him and bayoneted him to death.

The Bolshevicks dragged Buck out of the aircraft and took him prisoner. Buck survived appalling conditions whilst in captivity, but returned home at the end of hostilities.