Roderic Dallas Roderic Stanley ( Stan ) Dallas DSO , DSC & Bar ( 30 July 1891 – 1 June 1918 ) was an Australian fighter ace of World War I . His score of aerial victories is generally regarded as the second - highest by an Australian , after Robert Little ; however there is considerable dispute over Dallas ' s exact total . While his official score is commonly given as 39 , claim - by - claim analyses list as few as 32 , and other research credits him with over 50 , compared to Little ' s official tally of 47 . Like Little , Dallas flew with British units , rather than the Australian Flying Corps . Beyond his personal combat record , Dallas achieved success as a squadron leader , both in the air and on the ground . He was also an influential tactician and test pilot . His service spanned almost the entirety of World War I fighter aviation . Born on a remote property in rural Queensland , Dallas showed an early interest in aviation . He travelled to England at his own expense following the outbreak of World War I and became a pilot in the Royal Naval Air Service ( RNAS ) in August 1915 . Initially seeing action with No . 1 Naval Wing on the Western Front in Caudrons and Nieuport 11 s , he was chosen to test one of the earliest Sopwith Triplane s . This became his favourite type , and he achieved many victories with it through 1916 – 17 , earning the Distinguished Service Order , and the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar . Appointed commanding officer of No . 1 Squadron RNAS in June 1917 , on the establishment of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 he took command of No . 40 Squadron . Flying Royal Aircraft Factory S . E . 5 s , he achieved further victories before being killed in action on 1 June 1918 while on patrol near Liévin in northern France . He was buried in Pernes . Early life . Stan Dallas was born on 30 July 1891 at Mount Stanley station outside Esk , Queensland , to labourer Peter MacArthur Dallas and his wife Honora . Mount Stanley was an isolated property , and journeys to and from Esk were long and infrequent ; Stan was the first Caucasian child born at the station . His family moved to Tenterfield , New South Wales , soon after the birth of his younger brother in 1893 . They returned to Queensland in 1898 , settling in Mount Morgan , where Peter Dallas became a shift boss at the local mines . Stan attended Mount Morgan Boy ' s School from February 1899 and eventually joined its cadet corps , rising to sergeant . At school he was noted for his intelligence , ability to get along well with others , and quiet sense of humour . He enjoyed the outdoors , and spent many hours in the mountains behind his family ' s home , observing birds of prey . In July 1907 , Dallas joined the assay office of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company , and also enrolled in the local technical college , where he took night classes in chemistry and technical drawing . He showed an early interest in aviation , fuelled by the establishment in 1911 of the Mount Morgan chapter of the Queensland Aero Club . Dallas and his younger brother Norvel built a glider , which was wrecked by an untimely gust of wind the first time they tried to launch it . The two brothers continued to build model gliders after this initial disaster , however , and Stan corresponded with pioneer aviators in France , England , and the United States . He later transferred to a higher - paying job driving trucks for Iron Island ironstone quarries . Stan and Norvel once again built their own flying machine while Stan was working on Iron Island . They experimented with this seaplane on nearby Marble Island , notorious for its treacherous waters ; Stan lost this aeroplane in the sea . At tall , and weighing , Dallas would later surprise observers with his ability to fit into the cramped cockpits of fighter planes . Despite his size , he was considered a fine athlete with quick reflexes . Although he could project a loud speaking voice , he was generally soft - spoken and was not known to curse or drink alcohol , nor often to smoke . Dallas stayed fit through regular exercise at the gym , and played rugby union football . He had exceptionally keen eyesight , which he had trained by reading small print in newspapers at the six - foot length of his family ' s table . To balance out athletics , he participated in amateur theatrics , where his strong voice served him well . Service history . Rise to flying ace . Dallas joined the Port Curtis Militia in 1913 , and was commissioned as a lieutenant prior to the outbreak of World War I . Believing he had little chance of gaining a place in the newly established Australian Flying Corps , he applied to join the British Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) , but was rejected . Undaunted , he travelled from Queensland to Melbourne , where he impressed Minister Without Portfolio J . A . Jensen . Jensen gave the young aspirant a letter of introduction to the Australian High Commissioner in London , Sir George Reid . Dallas paid his own passage to England and , once there , applied again to the RFC . Rejected again , he turned to the Royal Naval Air Service ( RNAS ) and was accepted , topping the entrance examination over 83 other students . He was commissioned a flight sub - lieutenant and began training at Hendon in June 1915 , gaining Pilot ' s License # 1512 on 5 August . On 3 December 1915 , Dallas joined No . 1 Naval Wing and began flying combat missions in single - seat Nieuport 11 fighters and two - seat Caudrons out of Dunkirk , France . Early in his career there , a practical joker imitating his commanding officer telephoned Dallas , who was the duty officer , and peremptorily ordered him to take off in a propellerless Breguet . Upon learning that he had been tricked , Dallas joined in the laughter . He not only accepted the resulting nickname of " Breguet " , but also used it as a signature on his letters home later in the war . Having made two unconfirmed claims in February 1916 , Dallas scored his first confirmed victory on 23 April . He outmaneuvred a German Aviatik C and shot it out of control , following his victim down to 2 , 000 feet , though heavy anti - aircraft fire holed his plane in several places . He went on to score three more confirmed victories with his Nieuport . On 23 June 1916 , Dallas took delivery of the newest RNAS fighter , Sopwith Triplane # N500 . This was the original prototype , having undergone Admiralty trials before being shipped to France . Though still only a test plane , it was flown into combat 15 minutes after its arrival . Dallas named it " Brown Bread " , and it was the first of a series of ' Tripes ' that he would fly and fight in over the next year . He won his first victory with " Brown Bread " on 1 July , the same day he was promoted to flight lieutenant . Three days later , he was recommended for further promotion . He scored his last Nieuport - mounted ' kill ' on 9 July , earning the Croix de guerre and a mention in despatches for coming to the aid of a French Maurice Farman biplane . On 7 September 1916 , Dallas was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross , " for the specially gallant manner in which he has carried out his duties " since first seeing action in December 1915 . By the end of the year he was among the earliest RNAS aces , with eight confirmed and four unconfirmed victories , and had been raised to the rank of flight commander . Dallas became one of the best - known pilots of Sopwith Triplanes in the RNAS . He opened 1917 by setting an altitude record of 26 , 000 feet in the Triplane while testing a prototype oxygen set ; he endured frostbite and oxygen intoxication in the process . By now No . 1 Wing ' s fighter squadron had been renumbered as No . 1 Squadron RNAS , and had totally re - equipped with production Triplanes . It also shifted airfields from Veurne in Belgium to Chipilly in France , leaving behind RNAS control by transferring to No . 14 Wing , 4th Brigade of the RFC . Formation flying became the order of the day , as the practice of fighter pilots soloing into combat dwindled . The last three weeks of March were also filled with Dallas ' s responsibilities for flight and gunnery testing . As British losses in the air began to mount during Bloody April , Dallas and his squadron moved airfields once again , to La Bellevue . They were thus positioned to take a prominent part in the subsequent Battle of Arras , where the intense aerial fighting saw Dallas add to his burgeoning score . The combat of 23 April became known as one of the classic air battles of the war . Dallas and his wingman Thomas Culling took on a squadron - sized formation of 14 German aircraft , having gained an altitude edge over their foes . The naval aces exploited this edge by making quick diving attacks from opposite sides , culminating in short bursts of machine - gun fire . Using the Triplane ' s superior climbing ability , they would then bob back up to position themselves for the next assault . In contrast to the usual hit - and - run tactics of most dogfights , the RNAS duo launched at least 20 gunnery runs over 45 minutes . The Germans were forced progressively lower , into disarray , and then chased back over their own lines . While they shot down three of the Germans , Dallas and Culling also achieved a more important outcome by blocking and then breaking up a determined enemy effort against the British ground offensive . The action led to the award of a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross for Dallas , and a Distinguished Service Cross for Culling , which were gazetted on 29 June . Squadron command . By June 1917 , Dallas had achieved over 20 victories in aerial combat . This experience , and his leadership ability , led to his appointment as commanding officer of No . 1 Naval Squadron on 23 June 1917 . The unit had been forced to cut back its operational strength from 18 aircraft to 15 due to lack of pilot replacements and a shortage of spare parts for the aging Triplanes . It had also moved airfields , to an unprepared site at Bailleul . As a leader , Dallas made a point of shepherding new pilots through their first flights , and even setting them up with their first victories by manouvring enemy aircraft into a good position for the rookie to take a shot . On the ground , he proved to be an efficient organiser , designing and directing construction of the new air base . It was also during this time that he wrote a treatise on air combat tactics , extracts of which have survived . Both the air base layout and the treatise displayed his talent as a sketch artist . On 2 November , No . 1 Squadron moved airfields once more , to Middle Aerodrome , which put it back under overall RNAS control . The unit received its first eight new Sopwith Camel s on 9 November as replacements for the Triplanes . On 11 November , Dallas was again mentioned in despatches , this time by Field Marshal Haig . After gaining its full complement of Camels , No . 1 Squadron was transferred to England , and took up home defence duties at Dover . On 16 February 1918 , Dallas led his squadron back to France , where it was based at Téteghem , supporting units on operations along the Belgian coast . He commanded it for another six weeks , until 31 March . As part of the amalgamation of the RFC and RNAS to form the Royal Air Force , on 1 April 1918 Dallas was promoted to major and given command of No . 40 Squadron RAF , flying Royal Aircraft Factory S . E . 5 s . The squadron boasted a number of aces in its ranks , and its former RFC members were suspicious of Dallas ' s naval background . However , he was able to overcome their misgivings and established himself as the new CO with his personal demeanour and courage ; the nickname of " Admiral " that they bestowed upon him was an affectionate one . Ten days after taking over , he had adapted well enough to his new mount with its inline engine to score his first victory with his new unit . His men also saw that he would not only look out for his rookie pilots , but would not shirk the dangers of ground attack sorties . His offhand attitude toward two leg wounds he received during a strafing mission on 14 April , after which he made " a perfect landing " , especially impressed his subordinates , as did his appreciation of all ranks for their hard work . His studious bent continued to serve him ; he kept notes on his methods of attacking enemy aircraft , which often exploited their structural weaknesses , and used them to tutor pilots under his command . Dallas was briefly hospitalised with the wounds to his thigh and heel on 14 April , but sneaked out four days later to rejoin his squadron . His departure may have been spurred by news of the capture of his friend Richard Minifie . As soon as he was able , Dallas was flying again . By 26 April , he had increased his official score to 37 , and been awarded the Distinguished Service Order for operations at Dunkirk . He had also several times been recommended for the Victoria Cross , but it was never approved . His casual attitude towards claiming victories was noted by a member of No . 40 Squadron , Cecil Usher , who related that Dallas once remarked of an opponent , " . . . he went down belching a lot of black smoke and after he had gone down someways one of his planes came off , but I didn ' t see him crash so I shan ' t claim him . " On 2 May , during a lull in the fighting at Flanders , Dallas took off in his S . E . 5 to taunt his foes . He strafed the German base at La Brayelle to " attract attention " before dropping a package on the aerodrome with a note reading , " If you won ' t come up here and fight , herewith a pair of boots for work on the ground , pilots for the use of " . He then circled in mist until troops came to examine the bundle , whereupon he dropped two bombs and again shot up the base , causing " general panic " . News of this singular exploit reportedly provoked laughter from Field Marshal Haig and RAF founder General Sir Hugh Trenchard , two men not known for their sense of humour . While adding to his score and leading his squadron into combat , Dallas had begun thinking beyond the war . He was pleading with his father to quit the dangerous job of mining , with hints that he would support his parents by pioneering aviation in Australia . He also harboured a long - standing ambition of flying from England back to Australia , which would be a record - setting journey . Death and legacy . Dallas was raised to lieutenant colonel and appointed to the command of a wing , but would never see the message from headquarters that arrived on 1 June 1918 advising him of the promotion and ordering him to cease flying . He disappeared on a solo mission the same day . It was later learned that he had been killed over Lievin during combat with three Fokker Triplanes from " Jagdstaffel 14 " , probably by its commander , " Leutnant " Johannes Werner . There are various theories as to how he died . The common elements are that he was on patrol near the front line when he pounced on a German plane flying at a lower level , that there might have been another unknown British pilot in trouble , and that the Germans who shot Dallas down had dived from a still higher altitude . Medics near his crash site at Absalom Trench ventured into no man ' s land and retrieved his body , while a patrol of eight volunteers salvaged his personal effects from the fallen aircraft . News of Dallas ' s death was greeted with shock and disbelief by his squadron , one pilot recording : The British magazine " Aeroplane " later paid tribute to him in an editorial : For his record in aerial combat and his leadership skills , Dallas has been compared to the " Red Baron " , Manfred von Richthofen . The former flew combat for 29 months , and the latter for 31 months , if his three months in hospital are deducted . Dallas successfully led two different squadrons during his career , and was killed just before assuming command of a wing . Richthofen led first a squadron , then a wing during his 12 months in command , again excluding hospital time ; he achieved more victories , but had the tactical advantage of fighting over his own lines with the wind in his favour . Dallas flew a score of different types of Allied aircraft , as well as captured German planes ; he was also instrumental in developing the Sopwith Triplane . Richthofen flew the Fokker Dr . 1 , and helped develop the Fokker D . VII , but did not live to fly it into battle . Stan Dallas was buried at the Pernes British Cemetery , France , in Lot 38 , Row E of Plot II . In addition to his military decorations , he was honoured with a Gold Medal by the Aéro - Club de France , and a Bronze Medal and Diploma by the Aero Club of America . The town of Toogoolawah , Queensland , commemorated him in the name of its airport , and the national capitol of Canberra remembered him with Dallas Place . His home town of Mount Morgan has dedicated a water reservoir in his honour ; its Historical Society Museum holds his medals , uniform , and sword , as well the propeller from one of his planes . List of victories . Historians have struggled to develop a definitive list of Dallas ' s victories ; Adrian Hellwig , in the bibliography to his 2006 biography , lists over a dozen previous historians that have investigated the subject . He also refers to his difficulties in reconciling previous accounts . While various claim - by - claim analyses ascribe Dallas a score of 32 aircraft shot down , he was officially credited with 39 , and with being second only to Robert Little — who was credited with 47 — among Australian aces . However , Dallas ' s unofficial tally has been estimated at over 50 . This list is a compilation of claim - by - claim analyses that follow , as much as possible , the British system of confirming victory : pilot log entries and / or combat reports did not count , unless verified by squadron or higher levels of command . Thus , inclusion of a confirmed victory in this list has depended on verification by the Squadron Record Book , and / or by RNAS / RAF Communique or other reliable secondary source verification . Victories not confirmed by these methods are marked " u / c " .