Stephen Price (RAF officer)

{{Short description|British flying ace (1893–1974)}} {{other people||Steve Price (disambiguation){{!}}Steve Price}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}  {{Infobox military person | name = Stephen William Price | image = | caption = | birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1893|11|28}} | death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1974|4|19|1893|11|28}} | burial_label = | burial_place = | birth_place = [[South Hornsey]], London, England | death_place = [[Chichester]], Sussex, England | burial_coordinates =  | nickname = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = British Army<br/>Royal Air Force | service_years = | rank = Major | unit = {{plainlist| * [[Leicestershire Regiment]] * [[No. 23 Squadron RAF|No. 23 Squadron RFC]] * [[No. 11 Squadron RAF|No. 11 Squadron RFC]] * [[No. 33 Squadron RAF|No. 33 (Home Defence) Squadron RFC]] * [[No. 36 Squadron RAF|No. 36 Squadron (Home Defence) RFC]] }} | commands = [[No. 83 Squadron RAF]] | battles = World War I<br/>{{*}}[[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]<br/>World War II | awards = [[Military Cross]] | relations = | other_work = }} Major '''Stephen William Price''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}} (28 November 1893 – 19 April 1974) was a British World War I [[flying ace]] credited with seven aerial victories.{{sfnp|Guttman|Dempsey|2009|p=39}}<ref name="theaerodrome">{{cite web |url=http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/price2.php |title=Stephen William Price |work=The Aerodrome |year=2015 }}</ref>

==World War I== Price was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 19 September 1914, after serving as a cadet in the [[Officers Training Corps]],<ref>{{London Gazette |date=22 September 1914 |issue=28910 |page=7483 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and served in the 8th Battalion, [[Leicestershire Regiment]]. He eventually transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and was granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 1970 on 27 October 1915, having successfully soloed in a [[Maurice Farman]] biplane at the [[RAF Northolt|Military School, Ruislip]].<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1915/1915%20-%200872.html |title=Aviators' Certificates |issue=359 |volume=VII |page=872 |journal=[[Flight International|Flight]] |date=12 November 1915 }}</ref> On completion of his flight training, Price was appointed a flying officer on 20 January 1916, and transferred to the General List for service with the RFC.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=4 February 1916 |supp=y |issue=29465 |pages=1455–1456 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 April 1916.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=12 May 1916 |supp=y |issue=29579 |page=4812 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

Although Price served in several squadrons,{{sfnp|Guttman|Dempsey|2009|p=39}} all his successes came while serving in No. 11 Squadron, flying a [[Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2|F.E.2b]] two-seater, with American ace Lieutenant [[Frederick Libby]] as his gunner.<ref name="theaerodrome"/> Price was appointed a [[flight commander]] with the temporary rank of captain on 4 August 1916,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=18 August 1916 |supp=y |issue=29715 |page=8251 |nolink=yes}}</ref> between 22 August and 17 October, the two men drove down five enemy reconnaissance aircraft over [[Bapaume]], and an [[Albatros D.I]] over [[Mory, Pas-de-Calais|Mory]]. On 22 October, they shot down another Albatros D.I in flames over [[Douchy-lès-Ayette]].<ref name="theaerodrome"/>

Price was subsequently awarded the [[Military Cross]], which was [[gazetted]] on 25 November 1916. His citation read: :"For conspicuous gallantry in action. During a reconnaissance he was attacked by a large number of enemy machines. He manoeuvred his machine with great skill, and fought down a hostile machine. On four previous occasions he and his observer have accounted for enemy machines."<ref>{{London Gazette |date=24 November 1916 |supp=y |issue=29837 |page=11543 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

On 1 January 1918 Price was appointed a squadron commander with the temporary rank of major,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=22 February 1918 |supp=y |issue=30539 |page=2396 |nolink=yes}}</ref> taking command of [[No. 83 Squadron RAF|No. 83 Squadron]].<ref name="theaerodrome"/> He was transferred to the unemployed list of the RAF on 31 January 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=14 March 1919 |issue=31230 |page=3483 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

Between the wars Price worked as a [[solicitor]] and served as an [[Undersheriff|Under-Sheriff]] of London, 1935–1936.<ref name="theaerodrome"/>

==World War II== On 25 April 1939 Price was granted a commission as a pilot officer on probation in the Administrative & Special Duties Branch of the [[Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve]].<ref>{{London Gazette |date=2 May 1939 |issue=34621 |page=2926 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was confirmed in his appointment and promoted to [[flying officer]] on 1 September 1939,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=3 October 1939 |issue=34700 |page=6663 |nolink=yes}}</ref> just days before the [[United Kingdom declaration of war on Germany (1939)|declaration of war on Germany]]. However, on 27 April 1941, he resigned his commission.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=9 May 1941 |issue=35158 |page=2680 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

Price died in [[Midhurst]], [[Sussex]], on 19 April 1974.<ref name="theaerodrome"/>

==References== ;Notes {{reflist}} ;Bibliography * {{cite book |title=Pusher Aces of World War I |first1=Jon |last1=Guttman |first2=Harry |last2=Dempsey |publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-84603-417-6 |name-list-style=amp}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Price, Stephen}} [[Category:1893 births]] [[Category:1974 deaths]] [[Category:People from Hornsey]] [[Category:Royal Leicestershire Regiment officers]] [[Category:Royal Flying Corps officers]] [[Category:British World War I flying aces]] [[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]] [[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I]] [[Category:Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II]] [[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]] [[Category:Officers' Training Corps cadets]] [[Category:Royal Air Force officers]] [[Category:Military personnel from the London Borough of Haringey]]