Date of birth:

October 17th, 1924 (Wakefield/Yorkshire, Great Britain)

Date of death:

November 11th, 2008 (Harrogate/North Yorkshire, Great Britain)

Service number:

1768237 (NCO)/184769 (Officer)

Nationality:

British

Malcolm Scholes was educated at Wakefield Technical College and became a member of the Air Defence Corps – later renamed the Air Training Corps (ATC) – in October 1939 and joined the RAF on his 18th birthday to train as a flight engineer.
Scholes completed 54 missions with Bomber Command during the Second World War, which saw his aircraft hit by flak 11 times.
On three successive long-range missions to Germany his bomber was badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire. He once made it home with no hydraulics and once having lost an engine. In March 1944 he was part of an attack on Nuremberg when Bomber Command suffered its worst casualties of the war. Ninety-five bombers, each manned by seven crew, were lost.
His final mission with No.35 Squadron was an attack on Saarbrucken on the 5th October 1944, 12 days before his 20th birthday.
Scholes served until the end of the War as an instructor at the Pathfinder Force Training Unit.
After the war he was stationed in Palestine, where he was involved in the evacuation of the country ahead of the creation of the state of Israel in May 1948. He was appointed MBE for his distinguished services in Palestine as per June 29th, 1948.

Other appointments:
Commander RAF garrison in Tobruk ? - June 1967.
Station Commander RAF Biggin Hill 1970 - 1973,
RAF Regiment Depot Catterick,
Ministry of Defence; recruiting post ?- ?

In 1984 he was made an honorary life member of his old ATC squadron, 127 (City of Wakefield). He also served as president of 58 (Harrogate) Squadron.
He took to the skies for the last time on his 65th birthday- his last day in uniform- October 17th, 1989, in a Tornado fighter from RAF Leeming. However, his brief ´spin´ turned into a two and a half hour sortie over the North Sea after the pilot was radioed to investigate a Russian trawler that was close to British territorial waters, making him reputedly the oldest person ever to fly in a Tornado mission.

He was also awarded:
General Service 1918-62 one clasp, Palestine 1945-48
Coronation 1953,

Promotions:
? Flight Sergeant
August 29th, 1944: Pilot Officer (probation/emergency)
March 1st, 1945: Flying Officer (war sub)
October 2nd, 1947: Extended service for 4 years and transfer to the Secretarial Branch
July 30th, 1948: Flying Officer (permanent)
December 4th, 1952: Flight Lieutenant
July 1st, 1960: Squadron Leader
July 1st, 1967: Wing Commander
March 25th, 1978: retirement (at his own request)

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Acting Flight Sergeant

Unit:

No. 35 (Madras Presidency) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

November 17th, 1944

Recommendation:
"This N.C.O. is a Flight Engineer who has, for a long period, operated as a visual Bomb Aimer. Through his keenness and efficiency he has attained a very high standard of accuracy and there is little doubt that his crew is one of the most reliable in the squadron. Flight Sergeant Scholes has set an example of tenacity and enthusiasm to the squadron and in recognition he is recommended for the non-immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal."

LG 36799/5285

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)

• - Second Supplement to The LondonGazette Issue 36770 published on the 27 October 1944
  - Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 36799 published on the 14 November 1944
  - Third Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 37017 published on the 3 April 1945
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 38115 published on the 31 October 1947
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 38337 published on the 25 June 1948
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 38472 published on the 3 December 1948
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 39724 published on the 19 December 1952
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 42080 published on the 28 June 1960
  - Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 44357 published on the 30 June 1967
  - Second Supplement to The London Gazette Issue 47499 published on the 23 March 1978
  - Spink
  - Sandal Communication Association