Frank Douglas Stevens
Captain Frank Douglas Stevens OBE (7 April 1893 – ) was a British First World War flying ace credited with five aerial victories.[2]
Frank Douglas Stevens | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Inky" |
| Born | 7 April 1893[1] Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, England |
| Died | 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 Royal Flying Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War I • Western Front |
| Awards | Order of the British Empire |
| Other work | Brewing engineer, Guinness Brewery, Dublin |
Military service
Stevens was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the infantry on 22 September 1914.[3] He served briefly in the 9th (Service) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, before being seconded for service with the Motor Machine Gun Service on 21 November 1914,[4] and was later transferred to the General List.[5] He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 March 1915.[6]
Stevens joined the Royal Flying Corps to serve as an gunner/observer, being appointed a flying officer (observer) on 21 June 1916,[7] but soon trained a pilot, and was appointed a flying officer on 21 November 1916.[8] 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.[2] On 9 June 1917 he was appointed a flight commander, with the acting rank of captain,[9] and gained his remaining four victories, all D.IIIs driven down, between 17 May and 16 August 1917.[2] His observer/gunners included fellow ace Lieutenant William Cambray.[10]
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.[11] On 21 July 1918 he was appointed an acting-major.[12]
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,[13] 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".[14]
On 7 July 1921 he married Eva May, youngest daughter of William Gore of Sandymount, Dublin, at Sandymount Presbyterian Church.[2]
References
- Surrey, England, Church of England Baptisms, 1813-1912
- "Frank Douglas Stevens". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- "No. 28910". The London Gazette. 22 September 1914. p. 7488.
- "No. 29052". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 January 1915. p. 896.
- "No. 29091". The London Gazette. 5 March 1915. p. 2243.
- "No. 29181". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1915. p. 5366.
- "No. 29653". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 July 1916. p. 6707.
- "No. 29858". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 December 1916. p. 12090.
- "No. 30152". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 June 1917. p. 6361.
- 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. p. 2860.
- "No. 31279". The London Gazette. 8 April 1919. p. 4575.
- "No. 31378". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 May 1919. p. 7028.
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.