Stanley Vincent
Air Vice Marshal Stanley Vincent | |
---|---|
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) | |
Other work | Eastern Area Commandant Royal Observer Corps (1954–65) |
Early life
Stanley Vincent was born in Hampstead, north London, on 7 April 1897, the son of Dr Charles Vincent and Hannah Phillips. He was educated at Lancing College.
Flying career
Vincent was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) after the completion of his training in 1915 at the Central Flying School, Upavon. His first posting was to No. 60 Squadron RAF in France in April 1916, equipped with Morane single seat and two seaters. Vincent was appointed to 'A' Flight equipped with the Morane Bullet scout. He claimed an LVG two-seater in July (the Squadron's first victory), another two seater in September and an Albatros two seater 'Out of control' in early 1917, by now flying the Nieuport 17. In March 1917 he returned to England with his commanding officer (CO), Major Smith-Barry, in order to open and establish the School of Special Flying at Gosport. In April 1917 Vincent crashed-landed and spent 7 months in hospital.
In November 1917 Vincent was given command of the newly formed
Inter-war years
In 1921 he was appointed flight commander at the newly opened Royal Air Force College Cranwell. In 1923 he returned to operations in Iraq with No. 30 Squadron RAF. His overseas posting finished in 1928 and he travelled home in order to join No. 1 Squadron RAF at Tangmere. Promoted squadron leader in 1931, Vincent took command of No. 41 Squadron RAF at RAF Northolt and it was here that he was involved in the early experiments with Radio Telephony.
However he soon returned to Iraq to replace the CO of
Second World War
After a brief period with the Air Ministry, followed by attendance at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, he was promoted to group captain and in March 1940 returned to RAF Northolt where he commanded the station during the Battle of Britain.
Vincent often accompanied his station squadrons (usually 229 and 257 Squadrons) on scrambles and also flew lone 'station defence' sorties. He considered personally that he shot down 5 Do 17 enemy bombers on his various sorties. As he was alone on many of these sorties, confirmation has never been substantiated. He claimed a further two victories (over Bf 109s) on 30 September 1940. During one action he was wounded, crash landing at Kenley. He later had numerous pieces of shrapnel removed from his back, having narrowly missed his spine. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1940 in recognition of his skill and bravery.
In 1941 he was posted to
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/The_British_Army_in_Burma_1945_SE4046.jpg/220px-The_British_Army_in_Burma_1945_SE4046.jpg)
After he requested active duty, Vincent was sent to assist with the
He returned to England in mid-1943 and to
He remained in Asia until the end of the war and, on the day of the victory parade, was invalided home with dysentery.
Post-war
He was promoted acting
On 15 September 2010, a replica Hawker Hurricane gate guardian in the colours of Vincent's aircraft was unveiled at RAF Northolt.[1]
Publications
- Flying fever (Jarrolds, London, 1972)
See also
References
- ^ "Hillingdon Council commemorates Battle of Britain". Hillingdon & Uxbridge Times. 16 September 2010. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
External links
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