Arthur "Artie" Ashworth (3 May 1920 – 19 February 1994) was a New Zealand-born aviator who served with both the Royal New Zealand Air Force and the Royal Air Force. He completed over 100 operational sorties in World War II, later served in test and command roles post-war, and was decorated with the Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Flying Cross & Bar, and Air Force Cross & Bar.
Wing Commander Arthur 'Artie' Ashworth DSO, DFC and Bar, AFC and Bar | |
|---|---|
 Wing Commander Artie Ashworth | |
| Born | 3 May 1920 |
| Died | 19 February 1994 (aged 73) Bournemouth, England |
Cause of death | Kidney failure, due to recurring Malaria |
| Buried | Ashes returned to Alexandra, New Zealand (2018) |
| Allegiance |  New Zealand /
 United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Service years | 1939–1967 |
Rank | Wing Commander |
| Service number | 43699 |
| Units | |
| Commands | |
| Awards | |
| Website | arthurashworth |
Early life
editArtie Ashworth was born in Gisborne, New Zealand, the seventh child of Arthur Ashworth Sr. and Edna Mary Ashworth (née Harrison).[1]
His family moved several times in his early childhood, including a period on an experimental sheep farm in the Falkland Islands in 1927. Returning to New Zealand after the farm closed, Artie grew up near Alexandra, New Zealand, where he attended school, played rugby and tennis, and was a member of the Boy Scouts.[2]
By 1937–38, Artie had completed parts of his University Entrance examinations and worked as a cadet clerk at the Public Works Department in Wellington.[3] In September 1939, he applied for a Short-Term commission in the RNZAF, becoming one of the first men from Alexandra to do so.[4]
He completed elementary and advanced flight training in New Zealand, flying aircraft including the de Havilland Tiger Moth, Vickers Vildebeest, and Fairey Gordon. In June 1940, he transferred to the RAF in England, beginning operational training on Avro Anson aircraft.[5]
Military career
editSecond World War
editArtie Ashworth's early operational sorties were with No. 75 (NZ) Squadron.
65th Sortie
editIn September 1944, Artie flew his 65th operational sortie to Saarbrücken, Germany, in a borrowed Vickers Wellington carrying flares and bombs to mark the target for the main bomber stream. During the mission, a flare in the bomb bay caught fire, producing sparks through the floor. He initially ordered the crew to bail out, but one parachute was accidentally taken by another crew member, leaving Artie without one.
Demonstrating skill and composure, he sideslipped the burning aircraft to lower altitude, extinguishing the fire. Using improvised navigation, he plotted a course back to England and restarted engines that had failed. He landed safely at RAF West Malling, and the missing parachute and flare were later recovered. This mission highlighted Artie's piloting expertise and calm under extreme pressure.[6][7]
Pathfinder Force (Founder Member, Aug 1942 – Jan 1943)
editArtie became a founder member of the Pathfinder Force and helped develop early target-marking tactics, including WANGANUI, PARRAMATTA, and NEWHAVEN, which could be used with H2S or OBOE. When using OBOE, methods were prefixed with "Musical" (e.g., Musical Wanganui). Flares could be red, yellow, or green to indicate primary or secondary targets.[8][9]
Fighter Pilot (Apr – Nov 1944)
editBetween April and November 1944, Artie flew Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Tempest fighters on defensive and interception missions, becoming one of very few RAF pilots to fly both bombers and fighters.[10]
Pathfinder Force Return (Feb 1945 – End of War)
editArtie returned to Pathfinder duties in February 1945 with No. 635 Squadron, flying de Havilland Mosquito aircraft to mark targets for bomber streams. By war's end, he had flown around 110 operational sorties and received a Bar to his DFC.[11][12]
Promotions
edit- 8 June 1940 – Pilot Officer
- 8 June 1941 – Flying Officer (War substantive)
- 8 June 1942 – Flight Lieutenant (War substantive)
- 27 July 1942 – Acting Squadron Leader
- 1 July 1950 – Squadron Leader (permanent)
- 1 July 1956 – Wing Commander
- 31 August 1967 – Retired from RAF
Post-war RAF service
editArtie served in advanced flying and instrument training, performance testing, and squadron command roles. He led No. 38 Squadron, No. 216 Squadron, and No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron. In 1961, his son Corran was born.[13]
Retirement
editAfter retiring in 1967, Artie decided to settle permanently in the United Kingdom, becoming a hotelier with his wife in southern England and maintained close ties with the RAF community.[14]
Death
editHonours and awards
edit- Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), 1941[16]
- Distinguished Service Order (DSO), 1942[17]
- Bar to DFC, 1945[18]
- Air Force Cross (AFC), 1952[19]
- Bar to AFC, 1956[20]
- Mentioned in Despatches (MiD)
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Arthur Ashworth – biography". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Brief Family History". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Public Works clerk & pre‑war years". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Commission application 1939". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "Ground and flight training NZ". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "No. 75 Squadron Operational Records – 65th Sortie". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ Ashworth, Vincent (1989). A Legend in His Time – The Artie Ashworth Story. Rex Anderson Publications. pp. 154–158.
- ↑ Ashworth, Vincent (1989). A Legend in His Time – The Artie Ashworth Story. Rex Anderson Publications. pp. 140–145.
- ↑ "Arthur Ashworth – TracesOfWar profile". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ Ashworth, Vincent (1989). A Legend in His Time – The Artie Ashworth Story. Rex Anderson Publications. pp. 150–152.
- ↑ "Pathfinder operations – personal account". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "War History Online – Artie Bomber Command Legend". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "RAF squadron service". Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ Ashworth, Vincent (1989). A Legend in His Time – The Artie Ashworth Story. Rex Anderson Publications. pp. 181–183.
- ↑ Ashworth, Vincent (1989). A Legend in His Time – The Artie Ashworth Story. Rex Anderson Publications. pp. 190–192.
- ↑ "The London Gazette, 15 July 1941 – DFC" (PDF). The London Gazette. 15 July 1941. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "The London Gazette, 18 August 1942 – DSO". The London Gazette. 18 August 1942. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "The London Gazette, 2 November 1945 – Bar to DFC" (PDF). The London Gazette. 2 November 1945. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "The London Gazette, 14 June 1952 – AFC". The London Gazette. 14 June 1952. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ↑ "The London Gazette, 25 May 1956 – Bar to AFC". The London Gazette. 25 May 1956. Retrieved 7 October 2025.