The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (408855) Pilot Officer James Maxwell Levey, No. 45 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Craig Berelle, the story for this day was on (408855) Pilot Officer James Maxwell Levey, No. 45 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Second World War.

408855 Pilot Officer James Maxwell Levey, No. 45 Squadron, Royal Air Force
KIA 17 December 1944
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 28 October 2016

Today we pay tribute to Pilot Officer James Maxwell Levey, who was killed on active service during the Second World War.

Born in the Melbourne suburb of Key on 7 July 1917, James Levey, known as “Max”, was the son of James Edgar Levey and Florence Levey. Young Max attended Canterbury State School, Mont Albert Central School, and Scotch College. He worked with his father in the wool trade as a wool buyer and classer, and served in the 2nd Field Brigade of the Militia.

Levey enlisted in the Australian Air Force on 17 September 1940. Once in the RAAF he began training as a pilot, and in November 1941 he embarked in Sydney for overseas service. As part of the Empire Air Training Scheme, he was one of almost 16,000 RAAF pilots, navigators, wireless operators, gunners, and engineers who joined Royal Air Force squadrons throughout the course of the war.

Levey’s undertook more training in Ontario, Canada, before departing for the UK. Arriving in Britain in May 1942, he undertook further specialist training before being transferred to India in April 1943, posted to No. 45 Squadron, Royal Air Force.

No. 45 Squadron was one of the few Allied units to have engaged German, Italian, Vichy-French, and Japanese enemy forces during the Second World War. Levey served a full tour with the squadron flying Vultee Vengeance dive-bombers, and later the de Havilland Mosquito.

While flying on operations over Burma on 17 December 1944 James Levey was killed at Yazagyo, Burma. He was 27. His body is buried in the British and Commonwealth War Cemetery at Imphal, India.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left, among some 40,000 Australians who died while serving in the Second World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Pilot Officer James Maxwell Levey, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Dr Lachlan Grant
Historian, Military History Section