Captain Eric John Stephens (1895-1967) was an Australian flying ace who served in the Royal Air Force. He was credited with 13 confirmed aerial victories. He later became a Qantas pilot.
Eric John Stephens was born in Bendigo, Victoria, Australia on 13 September 1895.[1] When Eric John Stephens joined the Australian Imperial Force on 19 July 1915, he named his father, John Thomas Stephens, as next of kin. The younger Stephens was a college student and was in the militia when he joined.[2]
He landed at Marseilles, France in June 1916. He served on both the Northern Front and the Somme River, being commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the process.[1]
Stephens' was commissioned in the RFC on 13 April 1917. He became a pilot on 30 June. He was retained 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 for his first victory; he shared it with Frederick McCall. Stephens would accumulate 12 more wins 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.[3]
Stephens earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was gazetted to him on 3 June 1919.[4] He was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 16 August 1919.[5] He went on to fly for Qantas in the 1930s.[3]