Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

STANLEY KEITH MUIR who was killed in England on 12th September 1917 as the result of an aeroplane accident was the son of Mr. J. F. Muir. He was born in 1894 and was at the School in 1907 but left owing to illness, which eventually developed into hip disease. He was for six months on his back and another six months on crutches, but gradually grew out of his trouble, and after a long sojourn on Gulpha Station in Riverina was completely cured. He was a well known
amateur rider at picnic races in the Deniliquin district, and was a very fine horseman.

He enlisted in the 4th Light Horse, was all through the Gallipoli
campaign (though illness kept him back from the Landing), was wounded at Lone Pine and invalided to England. He was there given a commission in the King's Royal Rifles, but soon transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and obtaining his wings in May 1916 was sent to Egypt to instruct an Australian flying squadron.
He carried out single-handed the great Baghdad railway flight. He flew 600 miles without a stop in 61 hours, and bombed the railway line, and was highly commended for work at El Arish. He was attacked by three German aeroplanes. He brought down one and pursued the others over the Dead Sea till his petrol gave
out. For these feats he was awarded the Military Cross. He returned to England and was about to leave for the West front when the fatal accident occurred. He had been in the air for about twenty minutes, and was about to take his swoop for the hangar when one of the wings snapped and he fell 500 feet and was killed instantly.

He was regarded as one of the six best flyers in the British Army and
was noted for his "stunts." A comrade writing of him says: "Our crowd were all broken up over his death, for he was white to the soles of his feet." Major Oswald Watt, writing to his father, says : "His sad death deprives the flying service of one they can ill afford to lose. Never was an officer more truly mourned by his fellow-officers or by his men."

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date - 12th September.....Captain Stanley Keith Muir was born in 1892 at Elsternwick, Melbourne, Victoria. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 18th August, 1914 as a 22 year old Station Overseer from Jolimont, Victoria.
Private Muir was posted to 4th Light Horse Regiment (Divisional) “A” Squadron & embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on 19th October, 1914.

Private Muir was sent to Hospital at Cairo on 24th March 1915 with Subacute Rheumatism; transferred to Convalescent Camp at Abbassia on 25th April, 1915 & reported to his Unit at Anzac on 27th July, 1915.
Private Muir was promoted to Corporal on 13th August, 1915 then sent to Hospital at Malta on 28th August, 1915 with Rheumatic Fever. He was invalided to England & admitted to Military Hospital at Fulham, London on 24th September, 1915 with Enteric Fever (slight). Corporal Muir was transferred to Addington Park Hospital, Croydon on 28th September, 1915 & discharged from Hospital on 30th October, 1915 for furlough.

Corporal Stanley Keith Muir was discharged from Australian Imperial Force on 17th November, 1915 having been granted a Commission in the 20th King’s Royal Rifles Corps. Corporal Stanley Keith Muir’s orders, dated 16th November, 1915, were to join the 20th King’s Royal Rifles Corps at once for duty as a temporary Second Lieutenant at Norfolk House, Laurence Pountney Hill, London.

Stanley Keith Muir gained his Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate on 11th May, 1916 at Military School, Catterick Bridge, England while flying a Maurice Farman Biplane. He was a 2nd Lieutenant attached to 20th King’s Royal Rifles.

2nd Lieutenant Muir was posted to No. 1 Squadron on 27th July, 1916 then transferred to No. 67 Australian Squadron.

2nd Lieutenant Stanley Keith Muir of No. 67 (Australian) Squadron, Royal Flying Corps was awarded the Military Cross on 19th January, 1917 for Gallantry & devotion to duty in the field.

“For conspicuous dash and skill on 22nd December, 1916. I the attack of TEL-EL-SHARIA BRIDGE, he dropped his bombs from a low height and very accurately. In addition he afforded great assistance to the machine photographing BIR SABA during the same flight, by skilful fighting. He was mainly instrumental in shooting down a Fokker, which he followed down from 10,000 feet to 2,000 feet.

Further, on the 1st January, 1917, he, single handed, pursued two enemy machines from EL ARISH to BIR SABA, one of which flew to the south, and the other he drove down over its own aerodrome, coming down to 3,000 feet to do so.

During the chase he was under the enemy observer’s fire for 10 minutes, but with great coolness held his fire until within 70 yards, and must have inflicted severe damage on the enemy machine. He then waited over BIR SABA under heavy A.A. fire for the other machine, which flew in shortly afterwards, diving so fast to earth that he was unable to attack it.
His ordinary work has been excellent."

2nd Lieutenant Stanley Keith Muir was made Lieutenant with No. 68 Squadron on 17th February, 1917 then promoted to Captain with A.F.C. (Australian Flying Corps).

Captain Muir was transferred to No. 68 Squadron at Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, England from Overseas on 18th August, 1917.

Captain Muir was testing a DH. 5 aeroplane – Serial no. A9275 on 12th September, 1917 from R.F.C. Harlaxton. He had been in the air for around twenty minutes and was about to take his swoop for the air hangar when the one of the wings snapped and he fell 500 ft and was killed instantly. Captain Stanley Keith Muir was the only occupant of the plane.

Captain Stanley Keith Muir was killed on 12th September, 1917 near Harlaxton Aerodrome, Lincolnshire, England from an aeroplane accident. He was buried in St. Mary & St. Peter’s Churchyard, Harlaxton, Lincolnshire, England.

A Court of Inquiry was held into the death of Captain Stanley Keith Muir. The Court were of the “opinion that Capt. Muir was killed flying DH 5 in the execution of his military duties & that the machine was correct but could not apparently stand the strain of being dived upside down at such a terrific speed.”

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/harlaxton.html