Frederick Stanton (RAF officer)

Frederick Cecil Stanton
Born	(1895-10-30)30 October 1895 Emberton, Buckinghamshire, England
Died	20 March 1979(1979-03-20) (aged 83) Newport, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914–1919
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry No. 24 Squadron RAF No. 22 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	World War I  • Western Front
Awards	Distinguished 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.

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.

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."

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

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

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.

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

List of aerial victories

Combat record

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