John Stanley Chick began his military career as a pioneer in the Royal Engineers in 1914. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in February 1917 as a Cadet at Denham. He was commissioned a probationary second lieutenant on 3 May 1917. Chick was granted his pilots certificate, No. 4735, on 27 May 1917. In November 1917, he was assigned to No. 11 Squadron. Piloting a two-seater Bristol F.2 Fighter, he scored all his triumphs in the first four and half months of 1918. On 12 March 1918, he drove down out of control a German observation plane and four Fokker Dr.I fighters. All five triumphs were scored on a single sortie. On 1 April 1918, he was promoted to lieutenant. On 15 May, he ended his victory string by setting a German observation plane afire, destroying one Fokker Dr.I and driving another one down, and destroying a Pfalz D.III fighter. That same day, he was appointed flight commander, with the temporary rank of captain.
On 13 April 1919, as part of the postwar downsizing of the Royal Air Force, Chick gave up his rank of acting-captain. 1 August 1919 saw him appointed flying officer. On 8 October 1919, he was assigned pilot's duties with No. 100 Squadron RAF. Sixteen days later, he received a permanent commission as a flying officer. On 28 June 1920, he was posted to No. 24 Squadron RAF; later that year, on 7 December, he transferred to No. 60 Squadron RAF. After a couple of test piloting assignments, which included a stint on an aerobatics team that flew RAF SE.5as. It was during this time, on 30 June 1923, that he was promoted to flight lieutenant. Chick then attended the Instructors Course at the Central Flying School and was rated A1. A tour of duty at the Central Flying School followed, beginning 22 June 1927. He rounded out the decade by leading the Central Flying School aerobatics team in 1929. Beginning 19 January 1931, he attended the Royal Air Force Staff College. From there he was appointed a flight commander in No. 203 Squadron RAF on 23 January 1932, with the rank of squadron leader following closely on 1 February 1932. On 15 January 1934, he received his first command, Station Flight of Cambridge University Air Squadron at RAF Duxford. On 1 April 1937, he was promoted once again, to wing commander. Just before the start of World War II, in February 1939, Chick was appointed Officer Commanding No. 49 Squadron RAF.
