Airco DH.5 A9197

This profile is taken from a photo in the AWM collection of the DH5 A9197. The photo shows the presentation aircraft with Stan Muir at the controls. Not the dark spinner in comparison to the profile of the same aircraft done from the photograph with Harry Taylor at the controls.

Stan Muir was born in Elsternwick, Victoria and enlisted in the Australian Lighthorse at Mathoura, New South Wales where he worked as a station overseer. Muir was a veteran from 1 Squadron AFC and the campaign in Egypt and Palestine before joining 2 Squadron as a flight commander during the squadrons formation. Muir with 1 Sqn had been an aggressive pilot, chasing an Aviatik home to Masaid on December 3rd 1917 and on Decemebr the 15th attacked another in his Martinsyde, killing the observer and chasing the Aviatik 20 miles behind the lines to El Arish.

Muir was one of the many Australian born pilots serving in the RFC that were attached to the Australian Flying Corps units for their experience. Muir was most likely one of the 200 AIF members the Royal Flying Corps recruited in 1916, his entry in the Australian Imperial Force Nominal Roll reads,

No. 152
Rank : Corporal
Surname : Muir
Name : Stanley Keith
Last unit : 4th Lighthorse
Enlistment Date : 18th of August 1914
AIF Fate : Discharged
Date of Fate : 16th of November 1915

Tragically Muir was to die in a flying accident on the 12th of September 1917. Only two weeks before 2 Squadron flew to France and became operational.