Eight of his last nine victories came with Lieutenant Leslie Mitchell as observer/gunner. In all, Staton had four observers fly with him, and all four became aces, though Merritt and Sergeant William Norman Holmes scored most of their victories with other pilots. His final victory roll comprised (in conjunction with his gunners) two enemy fighters shot down in flames, fourteen more enemy aircraft destroyed, a Pfalz D.XII captured, and an additional nine enemy aircraft driven down 'out of control'. Staton received the Distinguished Flying Cross on 21 September 1918; a Bar in lieu of a second award would follow, after the armistice, on 3 December. Staton was wounded in the leg by an explosive bullet during combat east of Cambrai on 24 September 1918. Recovering from this wound, he sat out the rest of the war. Staton remained in the RAF after the war, being granted a permanent commission as a lieutenant (flying officer) on 1 August 1919. On 12 January 1920, he was posted to No. 20 Squadron, flying the Bristol Fighter on army co-operation duties in the North-West Frontier province of India. On 30 April 1922 he was posted to the RAF Depot as a supernumerary because of illness, but by 16 September 1922 he had recovered enough to be posted to the Marine and Armament Experimental Establishment at RAF Isle of Grain. He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1925. In May 1927 Staton was assigned to staff duty at RAF Calshot. That year his name was brought to the notice of the Air Council for his gallantry in saving an airman from drowning after a flying accident. Though nearly overcome by petrol fumes he repeatedly dived under water to extricate the airman. In March 1929 he became an instructor. On 17 January 1931 Staton was posted to No. 205 Squadron based at RAF Seletar in Singapore, flying Supermarine Southampton flying boats. In February 1934 he was posted to the RAF Depot, and later, on 18 June, he was assigned as Adjutant and Qualified Flight Instructor to No. 501 (City of Bristol) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force, based at RAF Filton, to fly the Westland Wallace. Staton was promoted to squadron leader on 1 February 1935, and on the 15th, he was posted to the Headquarters, Inland Area, Stanmore. On 20 April 1936 he was posted to No. 3 Flying Training School, RAF Grantham, for administrative duties.