Frank Douglas Stevens
Frank Douglas Stevens | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Inky |
| Born | 1892 or 1893 Kingston upon Thames, England |
| Died | Unknown Delgany, County Wicklow, Ireland |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1914–1919 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Suffolk Regiment Motor Machine Gun Service No. 20 Squadron RFC |
| Battles/wars | World War I • Western Front |
| Awards | Order of the British Empire |
| Other work | Brewing engineer, Guinness Brewery, Dublin |
Captain Frank Douglas Stevens OBE was a British First World War flying ace credited with five aerial victories.[1]
Military service
Stevens was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the infantry on 22 September 1914.[2] He served briefly in the 9th (Service) Battalion, The Suffolk Regiment, before being seconded for service with the Motor Machine Gun Service on 21 November 1914,[3] and was later transferred to the General List.[4] He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 March 1915.[5]
Stevens joined the Royal Flying Corps to serve as an gunner/observer, being appointed a flying officer (observer) on 21 June 1916,[6] but soon trained a pilot, and was appointed a flying officer on 21 November 1916.[7] He was posted to No. 20 Squadron RFC, to fly the F.E.2d two-seater fighter, where he gained his first victory on 3 May 1917 by driving down "out of control" an Albatros D.III.[1] On 9 June 1917 he was appointed a flight commander, with the acting rank of captain,[8] and gained his remaining four victories, all D.IIIs driven down, between 17 May and 16 August 1917.[1] His observer/gunners included fellow ace Lieutenant William Cambray.[9]
On 1 April 1918, the Army's Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service were merged to form the Royal Air Force, and Stevens was appointed a captain in the new service that day.[10] On 21 July 1918 he was appointed an acting-major.[11]
List of aerial victories
| No. | Date/Time | Aircraft/ Serial No. |
Opponent | Result | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 May 1917 @ 1715 |
F.E.2d (A6444) |
Albatros D.III | Out of control | Westrozebeke |
| 2 | 3 July 1917 @ 1600 |
F.E.2d (A6516) |
Albatros D.III | Out of control | Becelaere |
| 3 | 6 July 1917 @ 1830 |
F.E.2d (A6516) |
Albatros D.III | Out of control | Comines |
| 4 | 17 July 1917 @ 1955 |
F.E.2d (A6516) |
Albatros D.III | Out of control | Polygon Wood |
| 5 | 16 August 1917 @ 1100 |
F.E.2d (A6516) |
Albatros D.III | Out of control | South-east of Polygon Wood |
Post-war career
After the end of the war, on 21 March 1919, Stevens was transferred to the RAF unemployed list,[12] and on 3 June, in the King's Birthday Honours, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire "in recognition of distinguished services rendered during the War".[13]
On 7 July 1921 he married Eva May, youngest daughter of William Gore of Sandymount, Dublin, at Sandymount Presbyterian Church.[1]
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d e "Frank Douglas Stevens". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ "No. 28910". The London Gazette. 22 September 1914.
- ^ "No. 29052". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 26 January 1915. - ^ "No. 29091". The London Gazette. 5 March 1915.
- ^ "No. 29181". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 1 June 1915. - ^ "No. 29653". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 4 July 1916. - ^ "No. 29858". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 8 December 1916. - ^ "No. 30152". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 26 June 1917. - ^ Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 352.
- ^ The Monthly Air Force List. March 1919. p. 47. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ^ "No. 31206". The London Gazette. 28 February 1919.
- ^ "No. 31279". The London Gazette. 8 April 1919.
- ^ "No. 31378". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 30 May 1919.
- Bibliography
- Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
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