Arthur Stewart King Scarf
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Squadron Leader Arthur Stewart King Scarf VC (14 June 1913 - 9 December 1941) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He attended King's College School in Wimbledon, and was a RAF Cranwell trained regular.
He was 28 years old, and a Squadron Leader in 62 Squadron, Royal Air Force during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 9 December 1941 in Malaya, near the Siam border, all available aircraft had been ordered to make a daylight raid on Singora (where the Japanese Army was invading), in Siam. Squadron Leader Scarf, as leader of the raid, had just taken off from the base at Butterworth when enemy aircraft swept in destroying or disabling all the rest of the machines. The Squadron Leader decided nevertheless to fly alone to Singora. Despite attacks from roving fighters he completed his bombing run and was on his way back when his aircraft became riddled with bullets and he was severely wounded, his left arm had been shattered, he had a large hole in his back and was drifting in and out of consciousness. He managed to crash-land the Blenheim at Alor Star, without causing any injury to his crew, and was rushed to hospital where he died two hours later.
Scarf's VC was not gazetted until June 1946. Because of the chaotic nature of the Malayan campaign, the facts concerning Scarf's actions were not known until after the war. At the time of his death he was about to become a father for the first time. His pregnant wife was a nurse based at the Alor Star hospital, but had just been evacuated south. The two other crewmen from Scarf's Blenheim were also given awards after the war for their courage during this action; Sergeant Paddy Calder (later Squadron Leader) was awarded a Distinguished Flying Medal and Sergeant Cyril Rich (KIA in 1943) received a Posthumous Mentioned in Dispatches.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum (Hendon, England).
[edit] References
- CWGC entry
- British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Smith, Colin, Singapore Burning: Heroism and Surrender in World War II (p158-159)Penguin books 2005, ISBN 0-670-91341-3
