Charles Scherf Charles Curnow Scherf DSO , DFC & Bar ( 17 May 1917 – 13 July 1949 ) was an Australian flying ace of the Second World War . Born in New South Wales , Scherf was working on his father ' s grazing farm when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in 1941 . Graduating as a pilot , he was transferred to the United Kingdom for service in the European theatre . Flying de Havilland Mosquito s with No . 418 Squadron RCAF , Scherf was credited with the destruction of 7½ aircraft , airborne and grounded , and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross . Afterward , he was posted for duties with Headquarters Air Defence Great Britain . Despite this posting , he occasionally returned to No . 418 Squadron and flew operational sorties with the unit . During this time , he destroyed a further 16 aircraft and was decorated twice more . By the end of the war , Scherf was credited with 14½ aerial victories spread over 38 operational sorties . In addition to this , he was attributed with destroying nine aircraft that were grounded and with damaging seven others . Early life . Scherf was born at Emmaville , New South Wales , on 17 May 1917 , son of Charles Henry Scherf , a grazer , and his Cornish wife Susan Jane ( née Curnow ) . An active sportsman , Scherf attended the local school where he obtain an Intermediate Certificate . In 1934 , he enlisted in the Citizens Military Force and was allotted to the 12th Light Horse Regiment as a private . He later obtained the rank of corporal , before taking his discharge in 1939 . On 23 August 1939 , Scherf married Florence Hope O ' Hara in an Anglican ceremony at the Holy Trinity Church , Glen Innes ; the pair would later have a son and three daughters . During this time , he was working as a grazer on his father ' s property . Second World War . On 12 September 1941 , Scherf enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force for service during the Second World War . Posted for flight training at No . 10 Empire Flight Training School , Temora , and later No . 6 Service Flying Training School , Mallala , he graduated as a pilot with an " above average " rating on 2 July 1942 . Commissioned as a pilot officer on 17 September , Scherf embarked from Sydney bound for the United Kingdom the following month . Following a six - week voyage , he disembarked on 27 November and was attached to Royal Air Force training units for " advanced flying and operational training " . He was promoted to flying officer during this time . On completion , Scherf was posted to No . 418 Squadron RCAF on 13 July 1943 , flying de Havilland Mosquito light bombers . In August 1943 , Scherf commenced flying operational sorties against Axis airfields in France . On 15 September , he flew as an escort to a group of eight Lancaster bombers during a low level attack on the Dortmund - Ems Canal , Germany . He was promoted to acting flight lieutenant on 29 December . During this time , Scherf took part in several night operations and was credited with damaging a variety of targets as well as shooting down four German aircraft at night . Praised for his " exceptional keenness and . . . courage " , Scherf was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his night time exploits . The announcement and accompanying citation for the award was published in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 4 April 1944 . During late February 1944 , Scherf took part in a sortie over Axis occupied territory with Squadron Leader Howie Clevelend ; Scherf flew the leading aircraft of the two . The pair attacked an Axis airfield at St Yan , France , and successfully destroyed three aircraft on the ground . Soon after , the two pilots spotted a Heinkel He 111 Z twin - fuselage glider tug towing two Gotha Go 242 gliders . Scherf and Clevelend attacked the party , with Clevelend firing first and destroying one of the gliders . Scherf then destroyed the second glider , before the pair assaulted the Heinkel . In the first pass , Scherf set the starboard engine ablaze while Clevelend hit the starboard side . Scherf made a second firing pass , before the Heinkel spiralled to the ground with three of its five engines on fire . This action was Scherf ' s final sortie of his tour . The pair were consequently credited with shooting down three aircraft for their efforts in the operation , with an additional three others damaged or destroyed on the ground . On 13 March 1944 , Scherf was promoted to acting squadron leader and , with his operation tour at an end , was posted to Headquarters Air Defence Great Britain as a controller of Intruder operations . By the time of this posting , Scherf had destroyed seven airborne or grounded German aircraft , with an additional shared victory . Despite his new position , Scherf ' s " impatient spirit was far from satisfied with a staff position " , and he occasionally returned to No . 418 Squadron when he was off duty , taking part in operational sorties with the unit . On 5 April , Scherf joined the squadron in a sortie over Northern France . During the engagement , Scherf shot down two Axis aircraft in the air and damaged three more on the ground . For his actions on the two operations in February and April , Scherf was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross . The citation for the decoration was published in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 12 May 1944 , reading : On 2 and 16 May 1944 , Scherf took part in two further daylight sorties with No . 418 Squadron into " well - defended areas far into Germany " . Leading a section of Mosquito aircraft in action against " Luftwaffe " bases in the Baltic area and over northern Germany , Scherf was ultimately credited with shooting down six aircraft in aerial combat , and damaging an additional three on the ground over the two operations . Commended for his " great skill , enterprise and fearlessness " , Scherf was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order . The notification and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 27 June 1944 . On 10 July 1944 , Scherf embarked from the United Kingdom to return to Australia . Arriving in Brisbane two months later , he was briefly posted to RAAF Station Sandgate . During October , Scherf was posted to No . 5 Operational Training Unit , Williamtown , as chief flying instructor . He served in this position until late December , when he was posted for duties with RAAF Base Richmond and later RAAF Bradfield Park . On 11 April 1945 , Scherf transferred to Royal Australian Air Force Reserve and returned to his home in Emmaville ; thus ending his wartime service . By this time , Scherf had been officially credited with shooting down 14½ Axis aircraft in aerial combat , as well as nine aircraft destroyed on the ground and a further seven damaged from a total of 38 operational sorties . Later life . On 16 February 1946 , Scherf attended an investiture ceremony at Government House , Sydney , where he was presented with his Distinguished Service Order , Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar by the Governor - General of Australia , Prince Henry , Duke of Gloucester . Scherf was discharged from the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve on 1 July 1947 . Scherf found it difficult to re - adjust to civilian life , and began to have nightmare s about the Germans he had shot down and killed during the war . This consequently led him to drink heavily . On 13 July 1949 , Scherf was driving his car along the Inverell road approximately from Emmaville when he struck a tree and the vehicle overturned ; he died later that day from his injuries sustained during the crash . Survived by his wife , their three daughters and son , Scherf was buried in the local cemetery .