Wilfred Arthur
Encyclopedia
Wilfred Stanley Arthur DSO
, DFC
(7 December 1919 – 23 December 2000) was an Australian fighter ace
of World War II
. He is officially credited with ten aerial victories. Joining the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF) the day after war was declared in September 1939, Arthur first saw action with No. 3 Squadron
in North Africa
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
for shooting down four aircraft in a single sortie
. Posted to the South West Pacific
, he commanded first No. 75 Squadron
, and later Nos. 81
and 78 Wings
. He earned the Distinguished Service Order
for continuing to lead an attack on a formation of Japanese bombers after discovering that his guns were jammed. At 24, Arthur was the youngest Group Captain
in the history of the RAAF. He also played a leading part in—and gave name to—the "Morotai Mutiny
" of April 1945. Commonly known as "Woof", and sometimes "Wolf" or "Wulf", Wilf Arthur died in 2000, at the age of 81.
, Queensland, a veteran of World War I who had served overseas for the duration of the conflict. Born in Sydney
on 7 December 1919, Wilf grew up around his father's home town near the New South Wales border. The boy's initial education was by correspondence, but he later attended school at Yelarbon
, Queensland, commuting on horseback. He then spent four-and-a-half years at The Scots College
in Warwick
, where he matriculated
.
At the age of 19 and still at The Scots College, Arthur applied to join the Royal Australian Air Force
(RAAF). He enlisted on 4 September 1939, the day after Australia's entry into World War II
. Training at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria, and RAAF Station Richmond
, New South Wales, he was commissioned a Pilot Officer
on 30 March 1940, despite being prone to airsickness
early on. He served initially with No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron
at Richmond, operating Hawker Demons and Avro Anson
s.
, Arthur was posted to No. 3 (Army Cooperation) Squadron
and departed with the unit for North Africa
in July. Piloting a Gloster Gladiator
biplane, he scored his first aerial victory by shooting down an Italian Fiat CR.42
north-west of Sofafi, Egypt on 12 December 1940. The next day he himself was shot down by a CR.42 and had to bail out, narrowly avoiding disaster when he became entangled first with his oxygen hose and then with the Gladiator's wing-bracing wires; he was only torn loose at a height of 1000 feet (304.8 m) by the force of rushing air as his stricken plane fell to earth. Arthur claimed one further victim in a Gladiator before his unit re-equipped with Hawker Hurricane
s in January 1941. He was flying one of these when he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 in April.
No. 3 Squadron began replacing its Hurricanes with P-40 Tomahawks
in May 1941. In October, Arthur was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
and appointed a flight commander
. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
(DFC) for shooting down four enemy aircraft in a single sortie
near Bir El Gubi on 30 November 1941, the citation noting his "great skill and gallantry". Flying one of No. 3 Squadron's new Tomahawks, he had claimed two Junkers Ju 87 Stukas
, one Fiat G.50
and one Macchi MC.200
. He destroyed the last of the four after his plane had been damaged and he was on his way back to base; he had to land in the desert and make his way to the airfield on foot.
Around this time, Arthur met his future wife, Lucille, in a shop in Alexandria
. They married on 24 December 1941 and honeymooned in Palestine
and Syria
. The sudden romance came as a shock to Arthur's parents; he later recalled, "the first letter I got was a fair imitation of panic I think". While on leave, he was also able to make contact with his brother, who was serving as a military police
man in Bierut and who was later killed in New Guinea
. Completing his tour with No. 3 Squadron, Arthur was repatriated to Australia with his new bride in March 1942. Their ship journeyed to Melbourne
via Bombay and Colombo
, where it picked up many refugees following the recent fall of Singapore
. The couple later had four children.
Arthur was posted to the South West Pacific theatre
in April 1942, flying P-40 Kittyhawks
with No. 76 Squadron
in New Guinea
through to January 1943. He was then promoted Squadron Leader
and appointed Commanding Officer
of No. 75 Squadron
at Milne Bay
, under the control of No. 9 Operational Group RAAF. Having shot down a Mitsubishi G4M "Betty"
bomber on 10 March, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
for his "gallantry, matchless leadership and devotion to duty" on 14 April 1943. Despite his guns having jammed, he led 34 Allied aircraft, including Kittyhawks of Nos. 75 and 77 Squadrons
and P-38 Lightning
s of the USAAF
, in "a determined head-on attack" to intercept 100 Japanese raiders over Milne Bay, 14 of which were destroyed by the defenders. Arthur described the situation of being in combat without armament as "sort of awkward. Fortunately nobody else would know except me." To compensate for his lack of offensive weaponry, he repeatedly made as though attempting to ram one of the raiders, to force it down into the sea.
Promoted acting Wing Commander
in June 1943, Arthur became Wing Leader of No. 71 Wing
, which controlled No. 75 Squadron and three other combat units. On 5 November, he was involved in a collision at Kiriwina
Airfield with a Spitfire
of No. 79 Squadron
. The Spitfire pilot was killed, and Arthur received serious burns. He later recalled, "... I felt my hands disappear, felt my face go but the rest of my body was ... was just flames ... And then all of a sudden the flames dropped down a bit and I got out and went like mad and I was running away from the aircraft and trying to guess how far I could go before I'd try to put the flames out ..." Arthur was repatriated to Sydney where he underwent plastic surgery
at Yaralla Military Hospital (now Concord Hospital
). After his recovery in April 1944, he attended a staff course before taking over command of No. 2 Operational Training Unit
at Mildura
, Victoria. In August, at the age of 24, he was promoted to temporary Group Captain
, the youngest in the RAAF. That December he became Officer Commanding
No. 81 Wing
of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
(1TAF) at Noemfoor
and Labuan
in the Dutch East Indies
.
In April 1945, having recently assumed command of 1TAF's No. 78 Wing
, Arthur helped trigger an incident that became known as the "Morotai Mutiny
" (a phrase originating in one of his aide memoires at the time). He was one of eight senior pilots, including Australia's top-scoring ace, Group Captain Clive Caldwell
, and fellow veterans from the North African campaign, Bobby Gibbes
and John Waddy
, who attempted to resign their commissions in protest at the relegation of RAAF fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground attack missions. Frustrated at the lack of attention paid by Headquarters 1TAF to a "balance sheet" he produced showing that operational losses outweighed results, Arthur later said that his object for the "mutiny" was to "make as big a fuss as I possibly could with the object of getting the position corrected." A government inquiry into the incident exconerated the pilots, finding their motives in tendering their resignations to be sincere. Arthur remained in command of No. 78 Wing, leading it during the Battle of Tarakan
in May 1945.
In addition to receiving the DFC and DSO, Arthur was twice Mentioned in Despatches during the war. His official final tally of victories was ten enemy aircraft destroyed, though this has also been reported as eight confirmed kills and two "probables". Reflecting later on being a fighter pilot throughout his military career, Arthur said that he was glad to have flown single-seat aircraft rather than bomber
s, because "I would always have felt very uncomfortable with anybody else for whom I'd be responsible".
, Northern Territory. He worked with the Australian School of Pacific Administration
, and later travelled to Vietnam
to establish a dairy farm at Bến Cát under the Colombo Plan
. He was captured by the Viet Cong in 1961 and was not released until a ransom was paid—reportedly an Olivetti
typewriter. He continued to work in Vietnam after this incident, and by 1966 was running a business supplying duck feathers to the American military for use in life jackets. Returning to Australia, he was administration manager for Geopeko, the exploration unit responsible for discovering the Ranger uranium deposit
at Jabiru
. Wilf Arthur died on 23 December 2000, at the age of 81. The Kittyhawk "Polly" that he flew in his DSO-winning action of 14 April 1943 was purchased by the Australian War Memorial
, Canberra, in 1992 and put on display in its Aircraft Hall.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(7 December 1919 – 23 December 2000) was an Australian fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He is officially credited with ten aerial victories. Joining the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF) the day after war was declared in September 1939, Arthur first saw action with No. 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
in North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
for shooting down four aircraft in a single sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
. Posted to the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
, he commanded first No. 75 Squadron
No. 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the...
, and later Nos. 81
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
and 78 Wings
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
. He earned the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for continuing to lead an attack on a formation of Japanese bombers after discovering that his guns were jammed. At 24, Arthur was the youngest Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
in the history of the RAAF. He also played a leading part in—and gave name to—the "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
" of April 1945. Commonly known as "Woof", and sometimes "Wolf" or "Wulf", Wilf Arthur died in 2000, at the age of 81.
Education and early career
Wilfred Arthur was the son of a stock inspector from GoondiwindiGoondiwindi, Queensland
Goondiwindi is an Australian town of approximately 5,629 people. The town has an annual population growth of 1.4 percent. The name Goondiwindi derives from an Aboriginal word meaning "the resting place of the birds".-History:...
, Queensland, a veteran of World War I who had served overseas for the duration of the conflict. Born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
on 7 December 1919, Wilf grew up around his father's home town near the New South Wales border. The boy's initial education was by correspondence, but he later attended school at Yelarbon
Yelarbon, Queensland
Yelarbon is a small town in south-central Queensland on the Dumaresq River. It sits on the Cunningham Highway midway between Goondiwindi and Inglewood. At the 2006 census, Yelarbon had a population of 448....
, Queensland, commuting on horseback. He then spent four-and-a-half years at The Scots College
The Scots PGC College
The Scots PGC College is an independent, co-educational, Uniting Church, day and boarding school, located in Warwick, Queensland, Australia.The College currently caters for approximately 450 international and Australian students from Prep to year 12, including 180 boarders.Located on two campuses,...
in Warwick
Warwick, Queensland
Warwick is a town in Queensland, Australia, lying south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Local Government Area. In 2006 the town of Warwick had a population of 12,562....
, where he matriculated
Matriculation
Matriculation, in the broadest sense, means to be registered or added to a list, from the Latin matricula – little list. In Scottish heraldry, for instance, a matriculation is a registration of armorial bearings...
.
At the age of 19 and still at The Scots College, Arthur applied to join the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
(RAAF). He enlisted on 4 September 1939, the day after Australia's entry into World War II
Military history of Australia during World War II
Australia entered World War II shortly after the invasion of Poland, declaring war on Germany on 3 September 1939. By the end of the war, almost a million Australians had served in the armed forces, whose military units fought primarily in the European theatre, North African campaign, and...
. Training at RAAF Station Point Cook, Victoria, and RAAF Station Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond
RAAF Base Richmond is one of Australia's oldest and largest air force bases. It is located within the City of Hawkesbury in the north-western fringe of Sydney, New South Wales, between the towns of Windsor and Richmond. The base is home to the Royal Australian Air Force's transport headquarters,...
, New South Wales, he was commissioned a Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on 30 March 1940, despite being prone to airsickness
Airsickness
Airsickness is a sensation which is induced by air travel. It is a specific form of motion sickness, and is considered a normal response in healthy individuals...
early on. He served initially with No. 22 (City of Sydney) Squadron
No. 22 Squadron RAAF
No. 22 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force mixed regular and reserve squadron that provides support for the RAAF in the Sydney region. Formed in 1936, the squadron served in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War, and later followed the Pacific war as far as the Philippines...
at Richmond, operating Hawker Demons and Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
s.
North Africa
Promoted to Flying OfficerFlying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
, Arthur was posted to No. 3 (Army Cooperation) Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAAF
No. 3 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. It was first formed in 1916 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown, near Newcastle, New South Wales.-World War I:...
and departed with the unit for North Africa
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
in July. Piloting a Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
biplane, he scored his first aerial victory by shooting down an Italian Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
north-west of Sofafi, Egypt on 12 December 1940. The next day he himself was shot down by a CR.42 and had to bail out, narrowly avoiding disaster when he became entangled first with his oxygen hose and then with the Gladiator's wing-bracing wires; he was only torn loose at a height of 1000 feet (304.8 m) by the force of rushing air as his stricken plane fell to earth. Arthur claimed one further victim in a Gladiator before his unit re-equipped with Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s in January 1941. He was flying one of these when he shot down a Messerschmitt Bf 110 in April.
No. 3 Squadron began replacing its Hurricanes with P-40 Tomahawks
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
in May 1941. In October, Arthur was promoted to Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
and appointed a flight commander
Flight (military unit)
A flight is a military unit in an air force, naval air service, or army air corps. It usually comprises three to six aircraft, with their aircrews and ground staff; or, in the case of a non-flying ground flight, no aircraft and a roughly equivalent number of support personnel. In most usages,...
. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
(DFC) for shooting down four enemy aircraft in a single sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
near Bir El Gubi on 30 November 1941, the citation noting his "great skill and gallantry". Flying one of No. 3 Squadron's new Tomahawks, he had claimed two Junkers Ju 87 Stukas
Junkers Ju 87
The Junkers Ju 87 or Stuka was a two-man German ground-attack aircraft...
, one Fiat G.50
Fiat G.50
The Fiat G.50 Freccia was a World War II Italian fighter aircraft. First flown in February 1937, the G.50 was Italy’s first single-seat, all-metal monoplane with an enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear to go into production...
and one Macchi MC.200
Macchi C.200
The Macchi C.200 Saetta was a World War II fighter aircraft built by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy, and used in various forms throughout the Regia Aeronautica . The MC.200 had excellent manoeuvrability and general flying characteristics left little to be desired...
. He destroyed the last of the four after his plane had been damaged and he was on his way back to base; he had to land in the desert and make his way to the airfield on foot.
Around this time, Arthur met his future wife, Lucille, in a shop in Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. They married on 24 December 1941 and honeymooned in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The sudden romance came as a shock to Arthur's parents; he later recalled, "the first letter I got was a fair imitation of panic I think". While on leave, he was also able to make contact with his brother, who was serving as a military police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
man in Bierut and who was later killed in New Guinea
New Guinea
New Guinea is the world's second largest island, after Greenland, covering a land area of 786,000 km2. Located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, it lies geographically to the east of the Malay Archipelago, with which it is sometimes included as part of a greater Indo-Australian Archipelago...
. Completing his tour with No. 3 Squadron, Arthur was repatriated to Australia with his new bride in March 1942. Their ship journeyed to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
via Bombay and Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, where it picked up many refugees following the recent fall of Singapore
Battle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
. The couple later had four children.
South-West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
in April 1942, flying P-40 Kittyhawks
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
with No. 76 Squadron
No. 76 Squadron RAAF
No. 76 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training squadron. Established in 1942, the squadron operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighter aircraft and saw combat during World War II. Following the war it formed part of Australia's contribution to the occupation of Japan until it was...
in New Guinea
New Guinea campaign
The New Guinea campaign was one of the major military campaigns of World War II.Before the war, the island of New Guinea was split between:...
through to January 1943. He was then promoted Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
and appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of No. 75 Squadron
No. 75 Squadron RAAF
No. 75 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter unit based at RAAF Base Tindal in the Northern Territory. The squadron was formed in 1942 and saw extensive action in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II, operating P-40 Kittyhawks. It was disbanded in 1948, but reformed the...
at Milne Bay
Milne Bay
Milne Bay is a large bay in Milne Bay Province, southeastern Papua New Guinea. The bay is named after Sir Alexander Milne.The area was a site of the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942....
, under the control of No. 9 Operational Group RAAF. Having shot down a Mitsubishi G4M "Betty"
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
bomber on 10 March, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for his "gallantry, matchless leadership and devotion to duty" on 14 April 1943. Despite his guns having jammed, he led 34 Allied aircraft, including Kittyhawks of Nos. 75 and 77 Squadrons
No. 77 Squadron RAAF
No. 77 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force fighter squadron. The Squadron was formed in 1942 and currently operates F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown.-History:...
and P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
s of the USAAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
, in "a determined head-on attack" to intercept 100 Japanese raiders over Milne Bay, 14 of which were destroyed by the defenders. Arthur described the situation of being in combat without armament as "sort of awkward. Fortunately nobody else would know except me." To compensate for his lack of offensive weaponry, he repeatedly made as though attempting to ram one of the raiders, to force it down into the sea.
Promoted acting Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
in June 1943, Arthur became Wing Leader of No. 71 Wing
No. 71 Wing RAAF
No. 71 Wing was a Royal Australian Air Force wing of World War II. It was formed in February 1943 at Milne Bay, Papua New Guinea, as part of No. 9 Operational Group. The wing initially comprised two squadrons of P-40 Kittyhawks, one of Lockheed Hudsons, and one of Bristol Beauforts...
, which controlled No. 75 Squadron and three other combat units. On 5 November, he was involved in a collision at Kiriwina
Kiriwina
Kiriwina is the largest of the Trobriand Islands, with an area of 290.5 km². It is part of the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. Most of the 12,000 people who live in the Trobriands live on Kiriwina. The Kilivila language, also known as Kiriwina, is spoken on the island...
Airfield with a Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
of No. 79 Squadron
No. 79 Squadron RAAF
No. 79 Squadron is a Royal Australian Air Force flight training unit which has been formed on four occasions since 1943. The squadron was established in May 1943 as a fighter unit equipped with Supermarine Spitfires, and subsequently saw combat in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
. The Spitfire pilot was killed, and Arthur received serious burns. He later recalled, "... I felt my hands disappear, felt my face go but the rest of my body was ... was just flames ... And then all of a sudden the flames dropped down a bit and I got out and went like mad and I was running away from the aircraft and trying to guess how far I could go before I'd try to put the flames out ..." Arthur was repatriated to Sydney where he underwent plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
at Yaralla Military Hospital (now Concord Hospital
Concord Repatriation General Hospital
Concord Repatriation General Hospital , commonly referred to as simply Concord Hospital, is a major hospital in Sydney, Australia, located on Hospital Road in Concord...
). After his recovery in April 1944, he attended a staff course before taking over command of No. 2 Operational Training Unit
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit RAAF
No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit is a Royal Australian Air Force training unit located at RAAF Base Williamtown. 2OCU's main role is to train pilots to operate the F/A-18 Hornet. New RAAF pilots enter 2OCU for training after first qualifying to fly jet fighters in No. 76 Squadron...
at Mildura
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
, Victoria. In August, at the age of 24, he was promoted to temporary Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
, the youngest in the RAAF. That December he became Officer Commanding
Officer Commanding
The Officer Commanding is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit , principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, the term Commanding Officer is applied to commanders of minor as well as major units.Normally an Officer Commanding is a company, squadron or battery...
No. 81 Wing
No. 81 Wing RAAF
No. 81 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's air superiority wing. Formed during World War II, it operated in the South West Pacific theatre, flying P-40 Kittyhawks. Following the end of hostilities, it converted to P-51 Mustangs and was based in Japan as part of the Allied occupational forces...
of the Australian First Tactical Air Force
Australian First Tactical Air Force
The Australian First Tactical Air Force was formed on 25 October 1944 by the Royal Australian Air Force . Its purpose was to provide a mobile force of fighter and ground attack aircraft that could support Allied army and naval units fighting the Empire of Japan in the South West Pacific Area...
(1TAF) at Noemfoor
Noemfoor
Numfor is one of the Biak Islands in Papua province, Indonesia. It was the site of conflict between Japanese and the Allied forces during World War II, and was major airbase for both sides.-Geography:The island is situated just north of the large Cenderawasih Bay...
and Labuan
Labuan
Labuan is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an offshore support...
in the Dutch East Indies
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies was a Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalised colonies of the Dutch East India Company, which came under the administration of the Netherlands government in 1800....
.
In April 1945, having recently assumed command of 1TAF's No. 78 Wing
No. 78 Wing RAAF
No. 78 Wing is the Royal Australian Air Force's operational training wing. It is headquartered at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales, and operates the BAE Hawk 127 lead-in fighter. The wing was formed in 1943 and operated P-40 Kittyhawk fighters in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II...
, Arthur helped trigger an incident that became known as the "Morotai Mutiny
Morotai Mutiny
The "Morotai Mutiny" was an incident in April 1945 involving members of the Australian First Tactical Air Force based on the island of Morotai, in the Dutch East Indies...
" (a phrase originating in one of his aide memoires at the time). He was one of eight senior pilots, including Australia's top-scoring ace, Group Captain Clive Caldwell
Clive Caldwell
Group Captain Clive Robertson Caldwell DSO, DFC & Bar was the leading Australian air ace of World War II. He is officially credited with shooting down 28.5 enemy aircraft in over 300 operational sorties. In addition to his official score, he has been ascribed six probables and 15 damaged...
, and fellow veterans from the North African campaign, Bobby Gibbes
Bobby Gibbes
Robert Henry Maxwell Gibbes DSO, DFC & Bar, OAM was a leading Australian fighter ace of World War II. He was officially credited with shooting down 10¼ enemy aircraft, although his score is often reported as 12 destroyed...
and John Waddy
John Lloyd Waddy
John Lloyd Waddy OBE, DFC was a senior officer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force , who later served as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly and Minister of the Crown...
, who attempted to resign their commissions in protest at the relegation of RAAF fighter squadrons to apparently worthless ground attack missions. Frustrated at the lack of attention paid by Headquarters 1TAF to a "balance sheet" he produced showing that operational losses outweighed results, Arthur later said that his object for the "mutiny" was to "make as big a fuss as I possibly could with the object of getting the position corrected." A government inquiry into the incident exconerated the pilots, finding their motives in tendering their resignations to be sincere. Arthur remained in command of No. 78 Wing, leading it during the Battle of Tarakan
Battle of Tarakan (1945)
The Battle of Tarakan was the first stage in the Borneo campaign of 1945. It began with an amphibious landing by Australian forces on 1 May, code-named Operation Oboe One...
in May 1945.
In addition to receiving the DFC and DSO, Arthur was twice Mentioned in Despatches during the war. His official final tally of victories was ten enemy aircraft destroyed, though this has also been reported as eight confirmed kills and two "probables". Reflecting later on being a fighter pilot throughout his military career, Arthur said that he was glad to have flown single-seat aircraft rather than bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
s, because "I would always have felt very uncomfortable with anybody else for whom I'd be responsible".
Post-war career
Arthur was discharged from the RAAF on 14 February 1946, and took up residence in DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
, Northern Territory. He worked with the Australian School of Pacific Administration
Australian School of Pacific Administration
The Australian School of Pacific Administration was a tertiary institution established by the Australian Government to train administrators and later school teachers to work in Papua New Guinea...
, and later travelled to Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
to establish a dairy farm at Bến Cát under the Colombo Plan
Colombo Plan
The Colombo Plan is a regional organization that embodies the concept of collective inter-governmental effort to strengthen economic and social development of member countries in the Asia-Pacific Region...
. He was captured by the Viet Cong in 1961 and was not released until a ransom was paid—reportedly an Olivetti
Olivetti
Olivetti S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of computers, printers and other business machines.- Founding :The company was founded as a typewriter manufacturer in 1908 in Ivrea, near Turin, by Camillo Olivetti. The firm was mainly developed by his son Adriano Olivetti...
typewriter. He continued to work in Vietnam after this incident, and by 1966 was running a business supplying duck feathers to the American military for use in life jackets. Returning to Australia, he was administration manager for Geopeko, the exploration unit responsible for discovering the Ranger uranium deposit
Ranger Uranium Mine
The Ranger uranium mine is surrounded by Kakadu National Park, in the Northern Territory of Australia, 230 km east of Darwin. The orebody was discovered in 1969, and the mine commenced operation in 1980, reaching full production of uranium oxide in 1981...
at Jabiru
Jabiru, Northern Territory
Jabiru is a town in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was originally built in 1982 as a closed town to house the community living at Jabiru East near the Ranger Uranium Mine eight kilometres away. Both the mine and the town are completely surrounded by Kakadu National Park.- Overview :Jabiru...
. Wilf Arthur died on 23 December 2000, at the age of 81. The Kittyhawk "Polly" that he flew in his DSO-winning action of 14 April 1943 was purchased by the Australian War Memorial
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia...
, Canberra, in 1992 and put on display in its Aircraft Hall.