Roderic Stanley (Stan) Dallas, (30 July 1891 – 1 June 1918) was an Australian fighter ace of World War I. His score of aerial victories is generally regarded as the second highest by an Australian, after Robert Little, but there is considerable dispute over Dallas's exact total. Though his official score is commonly given as 39, claim-by-claim analyses list as few as 32, and other research credits him with over 50, compared to Little's official tally of 47. Like Little, Dallas flew with British units, rather than the Australian Flying Corps. Beyond his personal combat record, Dallas achieved success as a squadron leader, both in the air and on the ground. He was also an influential tactician and test pilot. His service spanned almost the entirety of World War I fighter aviation.
Born on a remote property in rural Queensland, Dallas showed an early interest in aviation. He travelled to England at his own expense following the outbreak of World War I and became a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) in August 1915. Initially seeing action with No. 1 Naval Wing on the Western Front in Caudrons and Nieuport 11s, he was chosen to test one of the earliest Sopwith Triplanes. This became his favourite type, and he achieved many victories with it through 1916–17, earning the Distinguished Service Order, and the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar. He was appointed commanding officer of No. 1 Squadron RNAS in June 1917. On the establishment of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, he took command of No. 40 Squadron. Flying Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s, he achieved further victories before being killed in action on 1 June 1918 while on patrol near Liévin in northern France. He was buried in Pernes.
Early life Stan Dallas was born on 30 July 1891 at Mount Stanley station outside Esk, Queensland, to labourer Peter MacArthur Dallas and his wife Honora. Mount Stanley was an isolated property, and journeys to and from Esk were long and infrequent; Stan was the first Caucasian child born at the station.Garrisson, Australian Fighter Aces, pp. 51–56Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 11–12 His family moved to Tenterfield, New South Wales, soon after the birth of his younger brother in 1893. They returned to Queensland in 1898, settling in Mount Morgan, where Peter Dallas became a shift boss at the local mines.Firkins, The Golden Eagles, pp. 41–43 Stan attended Mount Morgan Boys' School from February 1899 and eventually joined its cadet corps, rising to sergeant. At school he was noted for his intelligence, ability to get along well with others, and quiet sense of humour. He enjoyed the outdoors, and spent many hours in the mountains behind his family's home, observing birds of prey.
In July 1907, Dallas joined the assay office of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company, and also enrolled in the local technical college, where he took night classes in chemistry and technical drawing. He showed an early interest in aviation, fuelled by the establishment in 1911 of the Mount Morgan chapter of the Queensland Aero Club. Dallas and his younger brother Norvel built a glider, which was wrecked by an untimely gust of wind the first time they tried to launch it. The two brothers continued to build model gliders in spite of this initial disaster, and Stan corresponded with pioneer aviators in France, England, and the United States. He later transferred to a higher-paying job driving trucks for Iron Island ironstone quarries. Stan and Norvel once again built their own flying machine while Stan was working on Iron Island. They experimented with this seaplane on nearby Marble Island, notorious for its treacherous waters; Stan lost this aeroplane in the sea.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 13–14
At tall, and weighing , Dallas would later surprise observers with his ability to fit into the cramped cockpits of fighter planes. Despite his size, he was considered a fine athlete with quick reflexes.Firkins, The Golden Eagles, pp. 47–52 Although he could project a loud speaking voice, he was generally soft-spoken and was not known to curse or drink alcohol, nor often to smoke. Dallas stayed fit through regular exercise at the gym, and played rugby union football. He had exceptionally keen eyesight, which he had trained by reading small print in newspapers at the six-foot length of his family's table. To balance out athletics, he participated in amateur theatrics, where his strong voice served him well.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 12–13
Service history
Rise to flying ace
Dallas joined the Port Curtis Militia in 1913, and was commissioned as a lieutenant before the outbreak of World War I.Newton, Australian Air Aces, pp. 32–34 Believing he had little chance of gaining a place in the recently established Australian Flying Corps, he applied to join the British Royal Flying Corps (RFC), but was rejected. Undaunted, he travelled from Queensland to Melbourne, where he impressed Minister Without Portfolio J.A. Jensen. Jensen gave the young aspirant a letter of introduction to the Australian High Commissioner in London, Sir George Reid. Dallas paid his own passage to England and, once there, applied once more to the RFC. Rejected again, he turned to the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and was accepted, topping the entrance examination over 83 other students. He was commissioned a flight sub-lieutenant and began training at Hendon in June 1915, gaining Pilot's License #1512 on 5 August.
On 3 December 1915, Dallas joined No. 1 Naval Wing and began flying combat missions in single-seat Nieuport 11 fighters and two-seat Caudrons out of Dunkirk, France. Early in his career there, a practical joker imitating the commanding officer telephoned Dallas, who was the duty officer, and peremptorily ordered him to take off in a propellerless Breguet. Upon learning that he had been tricked, Dallas joined in the laughter. He not only accepted the resulting nickname of "Breguet", but also used it as a signature on his letters home later in the war.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 35–36, 112 Having made two unconfirmed claims in February 1916, Dallas scored his first confirmed victory on 23 April. He outmaneuvered a German Aviatik C and shot it out of control, following his victim down to 2,000 feet, though heavy anti-aircraft fire holed his plane in several places.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 43–44 He went on to score three more confirmed victories with his Nieuport.Franks, Nieuport Aces of World War 1, p. 32
On 23 June 1916, Dallas took delivery of the newest RNAS fighter, Sopwith Triplane #N500. This was the original prototype, having undergone Admiralty trials before being shipped to France. Though still only a test plane, it was flown into combat 15 minutes after its arrival.Franks, Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1, p. 6 Dallas named it Brown Bread, and it was the first of a series of 'Tripes' that he would fly and fight in over the next year. He achieved his first victory with Brown Bread on 1 July, the same day he was promoted to flight lieutenant. Three days later, he was recommended for further promotion. He scored his last Nieuport-mounted 'kill' on 9 July, earning the Croix de guerre and a mention in despatches for coming to the aid of a French Maurice Farman biplane.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 62–66 On 7 September 1916, Dallas was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, "for the specially gallant manner in which he has carried out his duties" since first seeing action in December 1915.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, p. 71The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29736, p. 8768. 6 September 1916. Retrieved 25 October 2014. By the end of the year he was among the earliest RNAS aces, with eight confirmed and four unconfirmed victories, and had been raised to the rank of flight commander.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 71, 192
Dallas became one of the best-known pilots of Sopwith Triplanes in the RNAS. He opened 1917 by setting an altitude record of 26,000 feet in the Triplane while testing a prototype oxygen set; he endured frostbite and oxygen intoxication in the process. By now No. 1 Wing's fighter squadron had been renumbered as No. 1 Squadron RNAS, and had totally re-equipped with production Triplanes. It also shifted airfields from Veurne in Belgium to Chipilly in France, leaving behind RNAS control by transferring to No. 14 Wing, 4th Brigade of the RFC. Formation flying became the order of the day, as the practice of fighter pilots soloing into combat dwindled.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 86–89 The last three weeks of March were also filled with Dallas's responsibilities for flight and gunnery testing. As British losses in the air began to mount during Bloody April, Dallas and his squadron moved airfields once again, to La Bellevue. They were thus positioned to take a prominent part in the subsequent Battle of Arras, where the intense aerial fighting saw Dallas add to his burgeoning score.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, pp. 94–101
The combat of 23 April 1917 became known as one of the classic air battles of the war. Dallas and his wingman Thomas Culling took on a squadron-sized formation of 14 German aircraft, having gained an altitude edge over their foes. The naval aces exploited this edge by making quick diving attacks from opposite sides, culminating in short bursts of machine-gun fire. Using the Triplane's superior climbing ability, they would then bob back up to position themselves for the next assault. In contrast to the usual hit-and-run tactics of most dogfights, the RNAS duo launched at least 20 gunnery runs over 45 minutes. The Germans were forced progressively lower, into disarray, and then chased back over their own lines. As well as shooting down three of the Germans, Dallas and Culling achieved a more important outcome by blocking and then breaking up a determined enemy effort against the British ground offensive. The action led to the award of a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross for Dallas, and a Distinguished Service Cross for Culling, which were gazetted on 29 June.Hellwig, Australian Hawk Over the Western Front, p. 103The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30147, pp. 6256–6257. 29 June 1917. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
Squadron command