STEPHENS, Eric John
| Service Number: | 3560 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Royal Flying Corps |
| Born: | Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, 13 September 1895 |
| Home Town: | Boyanup, Capel, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Died: | 1967, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Boyanup War Memorial, Crawley University of Western Australia Honour Roll, Nedlands Scotch College WW1 Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3560, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Nov 1915: | Involvement Private, 3560, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 1 Nov 1915: | Embarked Private, 3560, 16th Infantry Battalion (WW1), HMAT Benalla, Fremantle | |
| 5 May 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 4th Machine Gun Company | |
| 12 Apr 1917: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 3560, 4th Machine Gun Company, Discharged to the Royal Flying Corps | |
| 13 Apr 1917: | Involvement Royal Flying Corps | |
| 3 Jun 1919: | Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross |
World War 2 Service
| Date unknown: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Lieutenant |
|---|
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Captain Eric John Stephens was an Australian flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force. He was credited with 13 confirmed aerial victories.
Abandoning his university studies, Stephens enlisted in the 16th Battalion AIF in July 1915 in Perth at the age of 19.
He landed at Marseilles, France in June 1916. He served on both the Northern Front and the Somme River, with the 4th Machine Gun Company of the 12th Brigade.
He answered a call for volunteers to join the Royal Flying Corps and Stephens' was commissioned in the RFC on 13 April 1917. He was used 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 1918 for his first victory. Stephens would accumulate 12 more victories 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.
Stephens earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was gazetted to him on 3 June 1919.
In the 1930's, Stephens was a commercial pilot for Qantas and was also a pilot for the Kingsford Smith, Charles Ulm company (the original) Australian National Airways until it closed down.
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