Frederick Stanton (RAF officer)

Frederick Cecil Stanton
Born(1895-10-30)30 October 1895
Emberton, Buckinghamshire, England
Died20 March 1979(1979-03-20) (aged 83)
Newport, Pembrokeshire, Wales
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1914–1919
RankLieutenant
UnitOxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
No. 24 Squadron RAF
No. 22 Squadron RAF
Battles / warsWorld War I
 • Western Front
AwardsDistinguished Conduct Medal
Croix de guerre (France)

Lieutenant Frederick Cecil Stanton DCM (30 October 1895 – 20 March 1979) was a British World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.[1]

Military service

Stanton was born in Emberton, Buckinghamshire, the son of William Charles and Kate Dunkley Stanton, who ran the post office there. He enlisted on 2 September 1914 into the 6th Battalion of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and served in France from 22 July 1915 to 16 March 1917.[1]

On 24 November 1916 he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. His citation read:

12636 Lance Corporal F. C. Stanton, Oxf. & Bucks. L.I.
"For conspicuous gallantry in action. When the enemy began sniping at his men from a trench to his right rear, he immediately took some of his men and bombed the enemy down this trench, thereby allowing the neighbouring troops to capture the position."[2]

Stanton was promoted to sergeant on 3 September 1916,[1] and on 1 May 1917 he was given permission to wear the Croix de guerre awarded to him by France.[3]

He then joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet, being commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on 26 September 1917,[4] and was confirmed in his rank on 18 March 1918.[5]

He was first posted to No. 24 Squadron, but on 29 May was transferred to No. 22 Squadron. Between 10 July and 27 August, flying a Bristol F.2b two-seater fighter with Lieutenant Clifford Tolman as his observer/gunner, he accounted for seven enemy aircraft, three driven down out of control, and four destroyed.[1]

Stanton was transferred to the RAF unemployed list on 14 June 1919.[6]

List of aerial victories

Combat record[1]
No. Date/Time Aircraft/
Serial No. 		Opponent Result Location
1 10 July 1918
@ 1015–1030		 Bristol F.2b
(D8089)		 Pfalz D.III Destroyed South of Lille
2 Pfalz D.III Destroyed
3 DFW C Driven down out of control
4 13 August 1918
@ 1120		 Bristol F.2b
(D8089)		 Fokker D.VII Destroyed Auberchicourt
5 Fokker D.VII Destroyed in flames
6 21 August 1918
@ 1945		 Bristol F.2b
(E2500)		 Two-seater Driven down out of control Albert
7 27 August 1918
@ 1400		 Bristol F.2b
(E2500)		 Fokker D.VII Driven down out of control South-east of Senlemont

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Frederick Cecil Stanton". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. ^ "No. 29837". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 November 1916. p. 11561.
  3. ^ "No. 30043". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1917. p. 4160.
  4. ^ "No. 30347". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 October 1917. pp. 10886–10887.
  5. ^ "No. 30630". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 April 1918. pp. 4508–4509.
  6. ^ "No. 31458". The London Gazette. 15 July 1919. p. 9005.