Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 427 (Lion) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force

Awarded on:

July 7th, 1944

Citation:
"One night in May, 1944, this officer captained an aircraft detailed to attack Aachen. When crossing the enemy coast, the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground defences. The starboard 1 rudder and the elevator controls were so badly damaged that the aircraft became almost unmanageable. Undaunted Flight Lieutenant Stephen went on to the target and bombed it. He afterwards flew the damaged aircraft to this country. Although the tailwheel had been shot away and the brake pressure was nil, Flight Lieutenant Stephen effected a safe landing. His perseverance in the face of great odds, together with his exceptional skill and resource set an example of a high order."