Stanton was born in
Emberton, Buckinghamshire, the son of William Charles and Kate Dunkley Stanton, who ran the post office there. He enlisted on 2 September 1914 into the 6th Battalion of the
Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and served in France from 22 July 1915 to 16 March 1917. Stanton was promoted to sergeant on 3 September 1916, He then joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet, being commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on 26 September 1917, and was confirmed in his rank on 18 March 1918. He was first posted to No. 24 Squadron, but on 29 May was transferred to No. 22 Squadron. Between 10 July and 27 August, flying a
Bristol F.2b two-seater fighter with Lieutenant Clifford Tolman as his observer/gunner, he accounted for seven enemy aircraft, three driven down out of control, and four destroyed. ==List of aerial victories==