The Airmen's Stories - P/O N K Stansfeld

Noel Karl Stansfeld was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1915 and joined the RAF on a short service commission in April 1939.

He did his initial training at 3 E&RFTS Brough and his intermediate and advanced flying at 8 FTS Montrose. With his training completed, he arrived at 12 Group Pool on 28th December 1939.

After converting to Hurricanes he was posted to 242 Squadron at Church Fenton on 26th January 1940. On a patrol over France on 22nd May he shared in the destruction of a Hs126. Over Dunkirk on 31st May he destroyed a Me110 and on 1st June he probably destroyed a Ju87.

Stansfeld went to France with the squadron on 8th June. On the 14th he had to force-land after combat with Me110s near Nantes, his Hurricane was written off but he was unhurt. On the day it was withdrawn, the 18th, he destroyed a He111.

Above: Stansfeld (right) with Sub/Lt. RE Gardner.

Orders came in July that a pilot from the squadron was to be sent to a Fighter Navigation course. Stansfeld was attached to the School of Air Navigation, St. Athan from 2nd to 25th August for this course and he then returned to 242.

On 30th August he shared a He111, on 7th September claimed a Do17 destroyed, on the 15th another Do17 and a He111 and on the 27th a Ju88 probably destroyed. Stansfeld was posted to 229 Squadron on 29th September.

He was shot down the next day, in combat with Me109s over Edenbridge, and baled out, wounded. His Hurricane, N2652, crashed at Ightham Place.

Stansfeld was awarded the DFC (gazetted 8th October 1940).

He returned to Canada to be a flying instructor. He was back in the UK in 1943 and 1944, transferred to the RCAF on 12th February 1945 and served in RAF Transport Command, ferrying troops to and from India.

After the war Stansfeld contracted tuberculosis and was invalided out of the RCAF in 1947.

He died in 1995.