John Stevenson Stubbs

Captain John Stevenson Stubbs DFC AFC was an English First World War flying ace credited with 11 official victories. He was a pioneering bomber pilot who was the war's leading ace for the British Airco DH.9. He also carried off the rather unusual feat of destroying an enemy observation balloon with a bomber.

Early life John Stevenson Stubbs was born on 24 September 1894. He was named after his father, who was a grocer. His mother was Jessie Stubbs. They were living at 235 County Road, Walton-on-the-Hill, Lancashire, England at the time the child was christened. (There is a discrepancy between the birth certificate and the baptism record transcription as to the house number of the family home).

The younger John Stevenson Stubbs attended Longmoor Lane School, followed by a year's enrollment at St. Bees School for 1910.

World War I Stubbs enlisted in the 3rd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment to serve in World War I. On 4 January 1917, he was appointed a Flying Officer with orders to remain seconded from the Garrison Battalion, Liverpool Regiment.

Stubbs served in France with No. 27 Squadron RFC (later No. 27 Squadron RAF) from 24 February until 9 May 1917 when he was wounded. He was repatriated on medical grounds in July 1917.

After he recovered from his injuries, he was posted to No 2 Training Depot, Lake Down, near Salisbury, 19 September 1917 where he worked as an instructor until 24 March 1918. He was promoted to Acting Flight Commander on 9 October 1917. While stationed at Lake Down, he was posted to No. 107 Squadron RAF on 4 December 1917.

Stubbs was appointed Captain in the newly formed Royal Air Force on 21 April 1918 (the RAF was formed on 1 April 1918). Stubbs was posted to No. 103 Squadron RAF in the RAF as an Airco DH.9 pilot on the same date that he was appointed Captain on 21 April 1918. He left Lake Down for active service in France on 9 May 1918. He scored his first aerial victory–a highly unusual one– on 20 May 1918; despite flying a bomber, he and his observer destroyed an enemy observation balloon over Seclin.

On 2 November 1918, Stubbs was awarded the Air Force Cross. On that same day, his Distinguished Flying Cross was gazetted:

Post World War I On 24 October 1919, Stubbs was granted a short service commission as a Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force. On 13 January 1920, he transferred to the RAF's unemployed list, which was tantamount to discharge. On 15 April 1921, he was restored to the active list for temporary duty. On 4 June 1921, he returned to the unemployed list after completion of temporary duty.

On 29 May 1923, he was granted probationary commission as a Class A Flying Officer in the RAF Reserves. On 19 June 1924, he transferred from Class A of the reserves to Class C.

Nothing more is known of John Stevenson Stubbs after that.

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