Orders, Decorations and Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 4413    SESSION 15 (2.30pm Friday)    Orders, Decorations and Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $50,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $45,000

GROUP OF SEVEN: Distinguished Service Order (GRI); Distinguished Flying Cross (GVRI) first type (GRI) and Bar; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. First award unnamed, 1944 on bottom arm of second award, third and fourth medals unnamed as issued, 413671 C.C. Scherf on fifth - seventh medals. Second medal engraved, fifth - seventh medals impressed. All medals previously cleaned for display purposes, very fine.

Together with Log Book; Investiture parchment for DSO; Memorial Scroll; colour copy of the Tribute Address presented to Scherf by his hometown of Emmaville; Pilot's dress wings; RAAF patch (KC); RAAF Australian Coat-of-Arms patch; a piece of aluminium retrieved from his aircraft damaged on his last mission; 60th Anniversary of WWII Medal issued by Department of Veterans' Affairs to survivors or next-of-kin in 2005; letters and official messages of congratulations in respect of awards from such leaders as Sir Leigh-Mallory and AVM Wrigley; numerous photos of life in 418 Squadron, of various aircraft and a large number of personal photos; CD of the BBC broadcast made by Scherf in 1944; various documents, menus and membership cards relating to wartime activities; several 'Secret' operational reports signed by Scherf and others; Certificate of Service records; a large number of newspaper clippings relating to Scherf's exploits, all stuck into a scrap book; extensive research binder. DFC LG 4/4/1944, p.1552, position 1, CAG 13/4/1944, p. 804, position 1, Citation: Flight Lieutenant Scherf has completed many sorties at night during which he has attacked a variety of targets with much success. This officer has at all times displayed exceptional keenness and his example of courage and determination have been worthy of great praise. He has destroyed four enemy aircraft at night. Bar to DFC LG 12/5/1944, p. 2185, position 1, CAG 18/5/1944, p. 1027 position 6, Citation: Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, this officer has taken part in numerous sorties and has continued to display the highest qualities of gallantry and skill. Towards the end of February 1944, he flew the leading aircraft of two detailed for a sortie far in enemy occupied territory. During the operation three enemy aircraft were shot down and three others damaged on the ground. During another sortie over France in April 1944, Flight Lieutenant Scherf destroyed two enemy aircraft in the air and damaged three others on the ground at an airfield. These 2 sorties were a fitting climax to an outstanding tour. This officer has destroyed at least 9 enemy aircraft, successes which pay an excellent tribute to his great fighting qualities and resolution. DSO LG 27/6/1944, p.3041, position 1, CAG 6/7/1944, p. 1349, position 2, Citation: On two occasions in May, 1944, Squadron Leader Scherf led a section of Mosquito aircraft on daylight sorties over well defended areas far into Germany. During these two flights a number of enemy aircraft were destroyed of which this officer shot down six, and he also destroyed three on the ground. His successes are a splendid tribute to his great skill, enterprise and fearlessness. Squadron Leader Scherf has set an example of the highest order. Squadron Leader Charles Curnow Scherf DSO, DFC and Bar:- Charles 'Charlie' Curnow Scherf was born to Charles Henry and Susan Jane Scherf on 17 May 1917 into a well known and respected grazing family who lived on a farm called "Big Ben" at Emmaville, a small community in the Glen Innes District of north-western New South Wales. Naturally Charles was inducted into all the usual farm activities, was a keen horseman which would later stand him in good stead when he joined the 12LH. He was a natural and outstanding athlete and while still a school-boy he was a prominent rugby league centre and was one of the stars of the Glen Innes-13 and an idol of the crowd when he played in inter-district competition matches. He was also an extraordinary rifle shot and perhaps this had something to do with his later annihilation of enemy planes whenever he came upon them. On his father's side his ancestry traces back to Germany, the family migrating to Australia in 1855 and his second name of Curnow comes from his mother, Susan Jane Curnow, a member of the Curnow family which originally went from France to England and had a proud tradition of big-sea captains in West Cornwall. In September 1941, Charles enlisted and was trained under the Empire Air Training Scheme. He was then sent to England for further training at the Mosquito Operational Training Unit. During this time he became friends with a Canadian who became his observer. The Canadian remarked that he thought it would be great if Charlie could fly with his unit and thus it came about that he was posted to No 418 Squadron, The City of Edmonton Squadron, the only Australian in an all-Canadian unit operating out of England. The 418 operated Mosquitoes on 'fighter night intruder' missions, the aim being to intercept enemy night fighters or to bomb enemy airfields to prevent fighters taking off. Over the course of the next six-months he gained valuable experience flying 'intruder' missions over Europe but did not encounter many Huns and failed to score. This was soon to change however and on 27 January 1944 he bagged his first victim when he shot down a FW-200 near Bourges. After the mission he wrote in his log book, 'Grand day' One Hun & one F.W. 200 for self. His next victim was taken out on 19 February without even firing a shot. When he went in pursuit of a German aircraft Charlie was such a good pilot that he literally dogged the German pilot to death. His pursuit was so relentless that the German lost control and crashed near Florennes in Belgium. Five days later he destroyed another two when he shot down two JU-88s over their own airfield. On 26 February 1944 flying with his observer Flying Officer Colin Finlayson and accompanied by another Mosquito piloted by Canadian, Flight Lieutenant H D Cleveland they encountered the strangest aircraft they had ever seen towing two gliders. It was dubbed by them as the 'monstrosity'. It looked like two aircraft flying side-by-side joined together by one main plane and fitted with a fifth engine at the join. This turned out to be the HE-111Z which was in effect two 111 H-6s joined together with a connecting wing and fifth engine to make a powerful and gigantic tug to tow Gotha gliders. Each pilot destroyed one of the gliders and then they both launched attacks on the 'monstrosity'. Scherf set two starboard engines on fire, the Canadian lit up the middle and then Scherf dealt the final blow when he attacked the port side, destroying it. Each pilot was credited with half a kill. When Scherf's tour of thirty missions came to an end with his tally standing at 7 ´ kills he was transferred to the role of Intruder Controller at Air Defence Great Britain (A.D.G.B.) a duty he was not happy doing since he was definitely a 'man of action'. Anxious to get back into operational flying, Scherf asked Sir Charles Portal a number of times if he could fly day-time intruder operations alone but was refused. Finally, at the start of April, Sir Thafford Leigh-Mallory and Portal agreed to let him 'have one last trip'. He plotted the trip out himself and on 5 April he and fellow 418 Squadron pilot Johnnie Johnson piloted their Mosquitoes across over 1,000 miles of enemy occupied territory flying much of the time at zero level right under the big guns and this was to prove the start of a new phase to the air war. From then on, the Luftwaffe suffered very high losses. On this mission, Scherf earned himself the nickname, 'Last Trip' Scherf. He wrote in his log book, Very brassed off at A.D.G.B. so went on a Day Ranger. Proceeded to destroy 2 a/c at Lyon an ME110 & FW58 & proceeded to St Yan left 2 HE-111s burning on ground. Pleasant day. On 2 May he made another 'Last Trip' this time to the Baltic and North Germany with the accompanying aircraft piloted by Canadian, Flying Officer 'Johnnie' Caine. Both pilots had a field day although Caine's aircraft was badly damaged so he had to return home prematurely. After ensuring that his comrade was OK, Scherf went on to attack Griefswald alone shooting down a JU-86 and then destroying a HE-111 on the ground before setting off for home via Rostock where he destroyed another parked HE-111. Once again his log book entry shows his disenchantment with being out of the action at A.D.G.B. when he wrote, Very pleasant day off from A.D.G.B. duties. On 16 May 'Last Trip' Scherf was off again on another last trip, and this was to be nothing short of spectacular. It was back to the Baltic and North Germany. This time, he encountered a HE-111 over the sea and sent it down in flames. Over Kubitzer, he and his companion Mosquito split up and each chased a JU-87 with Scherf's newest victim going down in flames after three bursts from Charlie's guns. Not long after they came upon several assorted aircraft in the airfield circuit at Parrow. Scherf immediately launched a head-on attack on a HE-177 and shot it down and then strafed two Dornier 18s moored in a creek, one exploded and the other was badly damaged. He was chased by flak as he came up under two JU-88s in formation, the first of which broke up in the air as he fired. At the same time his plane shuddered as it took hits from a 20mm flak battery. Undeterred he pressed on with his attack pursuing the second JU-88 until he shot it down. In the space of fifteen minutes he had destroyed five in the air and one on the ground. On the way home while strafing a convoy his observer, Flying Officer Colin Finlayson, was hit in the right side by flak and then near Heliogoland a potential disaster arose when he collided with a flock of seagulls severely damaging the plane. In spite of the damage he was able to call on his piloting skills and get back to base safely. This last trip confirmed Charles Scherf as a legendary Mosquito pilot. In a newspaper report on the Mosquito, The Evening Standard Air Correspondent, Major Oliver Stewart, wrote, 'As a night fighter and an intruder it has been markedly successful and as an all-round fighter it set the seal to its fame on the afternoon of May 16 when one Mosquito, flown by Squadron Leader C. Scherf, shot down 5 enemy aircraft and damaged 2 others during a single sortie.' It was on this mission that Charles Scherf earned his place among the top flight of Mosquito pilots and he became the only British pilot to surpass the 1941-43 combat record of the Spitfire aces, the late Squadron Leaders, 'Bluey' Truscott DFC and Hugo Throssell Armstrong DFC. He was described as the 'true 1944 version of a fighter-pilot able to employ a technique utterly different from the high flying fighters of 2 years ago. Flying in the neighbourhood of 400 mph at zero feet he strikes with the wicked surprise of lightning. His Mosquito has run amok among German flying schools in supposedly safe areas. Hundreds of miles inside Europe he has floored transport aircraft.' This last trip turned out to be Charles' farewell mission. His last flight on 8 July 1944 was a routine one in a Spitfire. He recorded in his log book, Last flight in a great country. Beat up A.D.G.B. During his tours he flew 38 operations for 50,000 operational miles and never received a scratch. He destroyed more German planes in a single mission than any other intruder pilot. He was one of the most decorated pilots and was the first to organise long-range Mosquito lightning raids in daylight and he was the only non-Canadian member of the British based Canadian intruder fighting group - 418. On his departure from the City of Edmonton Squadron the CO wrote in Charlie's log book, 'An exceptional pilot with outstanding fighting qualities, A. Barker W/Cdr, 418 Sqdn R.C.A.F.' By this time Charles had been recognised with awards three times, once each month from April to June in 1944. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross on 4 April, a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross on 12 May and was admitted as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on 27 June. A magnificent achievement and worthy recognition for a 'wizard pilot' as the Canadian press described him. He returned to Australia where he was feted in his hometown of Emmaville however his greatest joy was to see his wife Florence and his two children, Maureen and particularly Rosemary who he had never seen because she was born after he left home for war service. A special tribute function was staged at the Oddfellows' Hall at which he was presented with a magnificent tribute scroll signed by all present. Many speeches were made and the draft of the tribute document was read to him before the presentation. Now back home in Australia, Charlie was posted to No 5 Operational Training Unit based at RAAF William Town Base as Chief Instructor on the Mosquito. On 15 October 1944 he wrote in his log book, 'At 5 O.T.U. Australia "Worst Luck".' He also tested aircraft and was placed on flying duties at 2 Aircraft Depot at RAAF Richmond. On 11 April 1945 he discharged from the RAAF and transferred to the Reserves in order to resume his civilian occupation. After his discharge, Charlie returned to the land. He had invested money he had saved into Merino sheep but unfortunately, the Glen Innes area was hit by drought and even when relief came to other areas, it continued very severely around Glen Innes until 1947 making life very tough for farmers. Post war Charles experienced bad memories of the friends he had lost and of the Germans he had killed even having bad dreams in which he would see 'his German victims who seemed to march across his bed at night'. Charles missed his flying companions and the friends he had made during his wartime service, many in very high office. His son, in fact, was named Mallory in tribute to Air Chief Marshall Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory, AOC in Command of Allied Expeditionary Air Force. Charles wrote under a photo of Mallory, 'my friend and advisor Leigh-Mallory. Our son Mallory is called after this fine gentleman.' In July 1949 disaster struck when Charles was killed after his automobile failed to take the bend of a dirt road and hit a tree. It is almost beyond belief that someone who had been in perilous situations on so many occasions during combat sorties should meet his fate in such a senseless manner. People were shocked and saddened not only in Australia but also in Canada and England. The accolades for his outstanding attributes came from far and wide. Articles were written in newspapers in tribute to him however, perhaps, the most fitting words came in a hand-written letter addressed to the Mayor of Glen Innes signed on behalf of all members of Charlie's old squadron, the 418th, The City of Edmonton Squadron. In part it says, He was both respected and admired by all who served with him, above or below him in rank. Scherf who was far too modest, probably never mentioned half of what he did; probably never discussed his great friendship with famous wartime Air Force leaders like Sir Charles Portal, Sir Leigh-Mallory, Sir Rodney Hill, etc., men who knew his worth and respected him as a son. Sir Charles Portal at a great dinner tendered in Scherf's honour in the Savoy Hotel by RAF leaders and men in July, 1944, said in his speech to Scherf: - "Charles I want you to know I love you as a son, I admire you as a son, and I believe you are the most outstanding airman I've ever known. When you are in a plane you seem to be the soul of it." All present at that dinner will never forget the excellent and splendid praise showered on him. For sheer courage and determination we never met his equal, and in our hard and trying times he had that saving sense of humour. Yet Scherf's splendid and scientific ideas on wartime flying, his pioneering of daylight intrusion work and his practical suggestions are used today by all airmen of the world. We hope the people of your community where he was reared; dedicate a fitting and useful memorial to one of the greatest flyers and heroes who lived on this earth. At his funeral two Mustangs from Williamtown circled for fifteen minutes as his casket left the church and then as mourners gathered at the graveside the Mustangs came over with wings dipped. Just as the ceremony was finishing, a Mosquito from Archerfield made a few wide circles and as the casket was lowered the Mosquito, with one motor stalled, tipped a wing and flew over the open grave in a final and memorable salute to a man who had contributed largely to the fame of the Air Force. Charles Curnow Scherf holds position nine in the ranks of Australia's air aces and he is one of the pilots selected by Lex McAulay for his book, Six Aces, which recreates the life of six of Australia's best fighter pilots.