Ross Stanford

**Ross Milton Stanford** DFC, OAM (25 Satumba 1917 - 11 Yuli 2006) ya kasance dan wasan ƙwallon ƙafa na farko na Kudancin Australia wanda ya yi aiki a cikin Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) a matsayin matukin jirgi a lokacin Yaƙin Duniya na Biyu, yana tashi da manyan bama-bamai na Avro Lancaster a Turai. A lokacin aikin soja, Stanford ya tashi a cikin ayyukan aiki 47 kuma ya yi aiki a cikin sanannen No. 617 Squadron RAF. Ya kuma wakilci Australian Services XI a wasan kurket, yana buga wasanni a Ingila, Indiya, Ceylon da Ostiraliya kafin a dakatar da shi a 1946. A rayuwar farar hula, Stanford ya gudanar da kasuwancin lambu na kasuwa, ya yi aiki a Bankin Jihar Kudancin Australia kuma yana da aikin siyasa mara nasara. An kuma san shi da aikin sadaka a Adelaide.

## Rayuwa ta farko
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.

Farkonsa bai yi nasara ba. Haɗuwa da Donald Bradman a ƙuƙwalwar, Stanford ya gudu ba tare da ya ci kwallo ba, tare da abokin aiki daga baya ya bayyana cewa Stanford ya kasance mai matukar damuwa. Bai sake buga ba kuma an sauke shi daga tawagar don wasan na gaba.[1] Bayan ya fara aiki a Bankin Jihar Kudancin Australia, an dakatar da aikin wasan ƙwallon ƙafa na Stanford lokacin da aka sauya shi daga Adelaide zuwa Waikerie sannan Tailem Bend. A sakamakon haka, Stanford ba za ta sake buga wasan kurket na farko ba kafin barkewar Yaƙin Duniya na Biyu.[2]

## Ayyukan soja
A lokacin da yake da shekaru 23, Stanford ya shiga cikin Royal Australian Air Force a ranar 21 ga Yuli 1941, yana ba da gudummawa don aiki a lokacin yakin. Bayan kammala horo na matukin jirgi, an tura Stanford zuwa No. 467 Squadron RAAF a watan Agustan 1943, wanda aka ajiye a Ingila. Ya kasance tare da ƙungiyar har zuwa Fabrairu 1944, lokacin da aka tura shi zuwa No. 617 Squadron RAF, wanda kuma ya tashi Lancasters. A lokacin da yake tare da No. 467 Squadron, Stanford ya tashi aiki 23 kuma an ba shi lambar yabo ta Distinguished Flying Cross. An fara aikinsa na farko a daren 5/6 Satumba 1943 a kan wani manufa a Mannheim. Ya sake tashi sama da ayyuka 24 tare da No. 617 Squadron,  ciki har da aikin yaudara a kusa da Cap d'Antifer a lokacin mamayewar Normandy,  da kuma kai hari kan ramin jirgin kasa a Saumur tare da bama-bamai na Tallboy 12,000-pound a cikin kwanaki bayan saukowa.  Ya kai matsayin mataimakin jirgin sama kuma daga baya aka tura shi zuwa Ma'aikatar samar da jirgin sama don ziyartar masana'antun kera jirgin sama don yin magana da ma'aikata.

Yayinda yake Ingila, Stanford ya koma wasan kurket na farko, yana wasa da ƙungiyar RAAF da ƙungiyar Ingila a County Ground, Hove, a watan Yulin 1943. Ƙarin wasannin da suka biyo baya a cikin 1943-45. A shekara ta 1945, bayan kammala tashin hankali, an zaɓi Stanford don yin wasa ga Australian Services XI a cikin Victory Tests da aka buga a Ingila kafin yawon shakatawa Indiya da Ceylon. Bayan dawowa Ostiraliya, kungiyar ta kuma buga wasanni da yawa da kungiyoyin jihohin Ostiraliya a lokacin da Stanford ta zira kwallaye mafi girma a aji na farko na 153 a wasan da ta yi da Tasmania a TCA Ground a Hobart a watan Janairun 1946.

## Manazarta