Summary
Captain Eric John Stephens (1895-1967) was an Australian flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force. He was credited with 13 confirmed aerial victories. He later became a Qantas pilot.
Eric John Stephens | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 September 1895 Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 25 January 1967 Lae, Papua, New Guinea |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/ | Aviation |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | No. 41 Squadron RAF |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
Early life edit
Eric John Stephens was born in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia on 13 September 1895.[1] When Eric John Stephens joined the Australian Imperial Force on 19 July 1915, he named his father, John Thomas Stephens, as next of kin. The younger Stephens was a college student and was in the militia when he joined.[2]
He landed at Marseilles, France in June 1916. He served on both the Northern Front and the Somme River, being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the process.[1]
Flying service edit
Stephens' was commissioned in the RFC on 13 April 1917. He became a pilot on 30 June. He was retained as a flying instructor until his transfer to No. 41 Squadron RFC on 16 March 1918. Using a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a, he shot down a Rumpler on 28 June for his first victory; he shared it with Frederick McCall. Stephens would accumulate 12 more wins after this, all solo, and most over enemy fighters, with the final one falling on 1 November 1918. By war's end, he was a Flight Commander, had destroyed five enemy airplanes, and driven down eight more out of control.[3]
Aerial victory list edit
| No. | Date/time | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 June 1918 @ 1050 hours | Rumpler reconnaissance craft | Destroyed | Belloy-en-Santerre | Victory shared with Frederick McCall |
| 2 | 30 June 1918 @ 0815 hours | Pfalz D.III fighter | Driven down out of control | Bray-Peronne | |
| 3 | 3 July 1918 @ 1915 hours | Pfalz D.III | Driven down out of control | East of Lamotte | |
| 4 | 29 August 1918 @ 0850 hours | Fokker D.VII fighter | Driven down out of control | South of Armentieres | |
| 5 | 29 August 1918 @ 0930 hours | Fokker D.VII | Destroyed | East of Comines | |
| 6 | 3 September 1918 @ 1845 hours | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | South of Vitry | |
| 7 | 29 September 1918 @ 1145 hours | Fokker D.VII | Destroyed | Northeast of Roulers | |
| 8 | 1 October 1918 @ 1110 hours | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | Southwest of Roulers | |
| 9 | 1 October 1918 @ 1510 hours | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | Southeast of Armentieres | |
| 10 | 8 October 1918 @ 1233 hours | DFW reconnaissance craft | Destroyed | Ledgehem | |
| 11 | 14 October 1918 @ 0855 hours | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | West of Roulers | |
| 12 | 28 October 1918 @ 1530 hours | Fokker D.VII | Destroyed | West of Audenaarde | |
| 13 | 1 November 1918 @ 1520 hours | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | East of Tournai |
Post World War I edit
Stephens earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was gazetted to him on 3 June 1919.[4] He was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 16 August 1919.[5] He went on to fly for Qantas in the 1930s.[3]
Endnotes edit
- ^ a b The Aerodrome website, http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/australi/stephens.php Retrieved 9 November 2017.
- ^ Attestation at http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/australi/attestation/stephens.php Retrieved on 31 September 2010.
- ^ a b Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. p. 351.
- ^ "No. 31378". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1919. pp. 7031–7032.
- ^ "No. 31891". The London Gazette. 7 May 1920. p. 5251.