Captain Eric John Stephens (13 September 1895 – 25 January 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.
Early life Eric John Stephens was born in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia on 13 September 1895.The Aerodrome website, http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/australi/stephens.php Retrieved 9 November 2017. 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.Attestation at http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/australi/attestation/stephens.php Retrieved on 31 September 2010.
He landed at Marseille, France in June 1916. He served on both the Northern Front and the Somme River, being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the process.
Flying service 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.
Aerial victory list
No.Date/timeFoeResultLocationNotes 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 Stephens earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was gazetted to him on 3 June 1919. He was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 16 August 1919. He went on to fly for Qantas in the 1930s.
References