Date of birth:

May 3rd, 1920 (Gisborne/North Island, New Zealand)

Date of death:

February 19th, 1994 (Bournemouth/Dorset, Great Britain)

Service number:

43699

Nationality:

New Zealander

Arthur Ashworth enlisted in the RNZAF in September 1939 and transferred to the RAF in June 1940. He went trough his flying training program in New Zealand and subsequently flew with No. 75 Squadron in the Middle East. Besides flying bombers he was one of the few airmen who also flew fighters and participated in total 110 operational sorties.

After the war he remained in the RAF and became an instructor at Middle East Training School at Amman (Transjordan, now Jordan) and commanded the Iraq and Persia communications Flight at Habbaniya (Iraq). In Farnborough, he was posted to the Empire Test Pilot School and flew Havilland Vampire and Gloster Meteor jets. During his time at Farnborough, he was also posted to the Instrument and Photographic Flight at the Royal Aircraft Establishment. Ashworth also participated in auto-pilot testing.

Following his return from Australia in 1951, he did more auto-pilot testing plus firing some of the early ejector seats and low level/high speed/night photography from a Meteor. He finished his tour at the end of 1951 and was awarded an AFC for his time at Farnborough.

Afterwards, Ashworth became a senior staff officer with No. 1 Bomer Group and, following a very short course on the Canberra Operational Training Unit, h took charge of No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron, based at Hemswell. He left the Squadron for a posting at the Air Ministry in October 1955, earning a Bar to his AFC for his work with the squadron.

Subsequent postings (in chronological order): Training course in Lincolnshire, Gtersloh and Geilenkirchen (Germany), 'B' Squadron (Aeropolane and Armament Evaluation Establishment), Deputy Director of Directorate of Flight Safety, Laarbruch (Germany).

Ashworth retired from the RAF due to his increasing blindness.

Promotions:
June 8h, 1940: Pilo Officer
June 8th, 1941: Flying Officer (war sub)
June 8h, 1942: Flight Lieutenant (war sub)
July 1st, 1950: Squadron Leader
July 1st, 1956: Wing Commander
August 31st, 1967: Retirement

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Pilot Officer

Unit:

No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

July 15th, 1941

Citation:
"One night in June, 1941, this officer was the pilot of an aircraft which carried out an attack on the Scharnhorst at Brest. Although the target was obscured, Pilot Officer Ashworfh flew over trie area for a considerable, time finally dropping flares immediately north and south of the target, which enabled him to see and attack"his objective. He also aimed one bomb at an unidentified vessel of 10,000 tons which was observed to be entering the docks. This operation necessitated Pilot Officer Ash worth remaining over the area for one and a quarter hours, making eight surveying runs, at times at an extremely low altitude and in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. Since February, 1941, this officer has participated in twenty operational missions. He has displayed outstanding skill, courage and infinite care in his efforts to bomb his objectives accurately."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Squadron Leader

Unit:

No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

August 21st, 1942

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Squadron Leader

Awarded on:

January 1st, 1943

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 635 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

November 6th, 1945

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

Awarded on:

June 5th, 1952

Awarded on:

May 31st, 1956

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With "FRANCE AND GERMANY" clasp.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Ashworth Family
• - The London Gazette Issue 35219 published on the 15 July 1941
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35675 published on the 18 August 1942
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 35841 published on the 29 December 1942
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37337 published on the 2 November 1945
  - Wing Commander Arthur 'Artie' Ashworth | DSO, DFC and Bar, AFC and Bar, MiD