Ross Stanford Ross Milton Stanford DFC , OAM ( 25 September 1917 – 11 July 2006 ) was an South Australia n first class cricket er who served in the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) as a pilot during the Second World War , flying Avro Lancaster heavy bomber s over Europe . During his military career , Stanford flew 47 operational missions and served in the famed No . 617 Squadron RAF . He also represented the Australian Services XI at cricket , playing games in England , India , Ceylon and Australia before being demobilised in 1946 . In civilian life , Stanford ran his own market garden business , worked for the State Bank of South Australia and had an unsuccessful political career . He was also known for his charity work in Adelaide . Early life . Born in Fulham , South Australia , Stanford ' s parents own a market garden . Growing up he was a keen cricketer and as a 14 - year - old scored 416 not out while playing for Lockleys Primary against Richmond Primary . At the time it was a world record for a schoolboy . His success resulted in a scholarship to Prince Alfred College in Adelaide . He continued his interest in cricket after completing his schooling , joining the West Torrens District Cricket Club . He went on to make his first - class cricket debut as an 18 - year - old , playing for South Australia against Tasmania in the Sheffield Shield at the Adelaide Oval in February / March 1936 . His debut proved unsuccessful . Joining Donald Bradman at the crease , Stanford was run out without scoring , with a team - mate later explaining that Stanford had been very nervous . He did not bat again and was dropped from the team for the next match . Having begun a career in the State Bank of South Australia , Stanford ' s cricketing career was put on hold when he was transferred out of Adelaide to Waikerie and then Tailem Bend . As a result , Stanford would not play first - class cricket again before the outbreak of the Second World War . Military career . At the age of 23 , Stanford enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force on 21 July 1941 , volunteering for active service during the war . After completing pilot training , Stanford was posted to No . 467 Squadron RAAF in August 1943 , stationed in the United Kingdom . He remained with the squadron until February 1944 , when he was posted to No . 617 Squadron RAF , which also flew Lancasters . During his time with No . 467 Squadron , Stanford flew 23 operations and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross . His first operation was flown on the night of 5 / 6 September 1943 against a target in Mannheim . He flew a further 24 operations with No . 617 Squadron , including a decoy operation around Cap d ' Antifer during the invasion of Normandy , and an attack on the railway tunnel at Saumur with 12 , 000 - pound Tallboy bombs in the days following the landing . He reached the rank of flight lieutenant and was later seconded to the Ministry of Aircraft Production to visit aircraft manufacturing plants to speak to workers . While in England , Stanford returned to first - class cricket , playing a match for an RAAF team against an English side at the County Ground , Hove , in July 1943 . Further matches followed throughout 1943 – 45 . In 1945 , following the conclusion of hostilities , Stanford was selected to play for the Australian Services XI in the Victory Tests played in England before touring India and Ceylon . After returning to Australia , the side also played several matches against Australian state teams during which Stanford scored his highest first - class score of 153 in a match against Tasmania at the TCA Ground in Hobart in January 1946 . Later life . On 26 March 1946 , Stanford was demobilised and returned to civilian life . He returned to the State Bank , but continued to play first - class cricket , playing another nine matches for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield between March 1946 and December 1947 . He also played in the local Adelaide competition until 1955 , playing for West Torrens . Meanwhile , he stopped working for the bank and ran his family ' s market garden business . In 1959 and 1968 , he unsuccessfully stood for election in the state electoral district of West Torrens . He also contested the federal seat of Hindmarsh in 1966 as a Liberal candidate , but was also unsuccessful . In the 1960s he began charity work in the local Adelaide community , serving on the gifts committee of the Western Community Hostpital in Henley Beach , and as a trustee of the Captain Stuart Memorial Trust . He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the 1991 Australia Day Honours for his work with the Ryder – Cheshire Foundation . He died on 11 July 2006 , at the age of 88 , at Kilburn , South Australia . He was married to Joyce , with whom he had two children , Greg and Cynthia ; he was survived by his son .