Stanley Vincent was born 7 April 1897, the son of Dr Charles Vincent, and Hannah Phillips. He was educated at King’s College Choir School, Cambridge, and Lancing College, and in 1921 married Elisabeth Ursula Peyton, having two sons and one daughter.

After training as a pilot, Vincent was commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps in December 1915, and served in France with 60 Squadron, (1916-1917), before returning to England to work as an instructor until 1919. He carried on as an instructor at the Cadet College, Cranwell [Lincolnshire] between 1920 and 1923, then returned to flying duty, with postings and positions including: 30 Squadron, Iraq (1923-1925); 2 Armoured Car Convoy, Palestine (1926-1927); 1 Squadron, Tangmere [Sussex], (1928-1931); Commanding Officer, 41 Squadron, Northolt [Middlesex], (1931-1933); Squadron Leader, (1931); Commanding Officer, 84 Squadron, Shaibah, [Iraq] (1933-1935); armament course (1936); Commanding Officer, Air Fighting Development Establishment (1937); Station Commander, Northolt, (end of 1937); Wing Commander (1937); Air Ministry (1938); Naval Staff College (1939); Station Commander, Northolt and North Weald [Essex] (1940 and 1941); Group Captain, 1940 (Distinguished Flying Cross); Singapore, Sumatra [Indonesia], Java [part of Indonesia], Australia, New Zealand, United States (1942-1943); Air Commodore (1941); Fighter Command and Air Officer Commanding 13 Group Scotland (1943); Air Officer Commanding 221 Group, South East Asia Air Forces, Burma [later Myanmar] (1944-1945) (Companion of the Order of the Bath); Acting Air Vice-Marshal (1944); Air Vice-Marshal (1947); Senior Air Staff Officer, Fighter Command (1945-1948); Air Officer Commanding No 11 (Fighter) Group (1948-1950).

Vincent retired in 1950, but served as Commandant for the Eastern Area, Royal Observer Corps (1954-1965). He published his autobiography, Flying Fever, in 1972. He died in 1976.