Date of birth:

July 22nd, 1915 (Tenterfield/New South Wales, Australia)

Date of death:

April 18th, 1978 (Canberra)

Nationality:

Australian

Service number Aus.3288/Aus.2623.

Before the war Schaaf studied Accountancy and worked as a clerk.
In March 1938 he joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an aircraftman 1st Class, clerk. In September 1940 he applied for aircrew training and became fighter pilot. He received his wings in June 1941 and was send to Britain in August and was posted in November to No. 452 Squadron, RAAF.
In February 1942 Schaaf was sent to Egypt. There, on 6 June, he joined No.450 Squadron, an R.A.A.F. fighter-bomber unit which flew Kittyhawks. By the end of his period in the Western Desert he had destroyed three enemy aircraft in aerial combat.
In march 1943 he was sent back to Australia where he was posted as an instructor and fighter controller and in May 1945 he was posted to command No.82 Squadron at Noemfoor, Netherlands East Indies.
After WW2 he remained in the RAAF and served in various positions. On his retirement on 10 November 1964, he was made honorary group captain.
After working for R. A. Irish & Michelmore, a firm of chartered accountants in Sydney, Schaaf moved to Canberra in 1970 and joined the Commonwealth Public Service.

Schaaf was also awarded the Air Efficiency Medal. It is unsure if he was awarded this medal for his wartime flying or for his post-war career.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 450 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force

Awarded on:

February 23rd, 1943

Citation:
"This Officer has taken part in many operational sorties and has destroyed three enemy aircraft in combat. During the advance into Tripoli he led the Squadron with great distinction. On one occasion, when attacking Castel Benito, he destroyed an enemy aircraft on the ground. Two days later, Flight Lieutenant Schaaf led a formation attack on five Focke Wulfe 190s, three of which were destroyed."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Awarded on:

June 25th, 1946

Recommendation:
"Flight Lieutenant Schaaf has destroyed four enemy aircraft in the air, probably destroyed four, damaged three, and has destroyed 11 enemy aircraft on the ground. While at Labuan, he has destroyed one aircraft on the ground and one motor vehicle, has shared in the destruction of one motor transport, eight large houses, seven barges, two launches, and one W.T. Station, and has shared in the damaging of one motor transport, three barges, nine launches, two luggers and one ketch. During this period, he has shown leadership, courage and operational planning ability of an exceptional type. Flight Lieutenant Schaaf planned and led the first strike by Kittyhawk aircraft on Kuching on 8 August 1945, an exceptionally long flight of 950 miles for this type of aircraft. At Kuching, his formation destroyed three enemy single-seater fighters, which were at the end of the airstrip, apparently about to take off, one with the engine running. Flight Lieutenant Schaaf has always shown exceptional operational ability, leadership and courage. His leadership is most inspiring and effective. He has completed a total of 240 sorties, including 200 strikes."

Second DFC awarded as a bar for on the ribbon of the first DFC.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "NORTH AFRICA 1942-43" clasp.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• - SHORES, CH., Those Other Eagles, Grub Street, London, 2004.
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35914 published on the 19 February 1943
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37625 published on the 21 June 1946
  - Australian Dictionary of Biography
  - Christies