LONDON.- After almost a decade, Spink has sold another rare RAF Victoria Cross, setting a New World Record for a Royal Air Force Victoria Cross sold at public auction.

26 awards of the Victoria Cross to the Royal Air Force have been awarded to date, of which exactly half of them awarded posthumously. This V.C. group is a unique award to the Royal Air Force for this theatre of war.

Four awards of the Victoria Cross for the Battle of Malaya, this the first by date of action.

Joining the Royal Air Force in 1936, by December 1941 Scarf was in Command of his Squadron who were flying Blenheims close to the Malay-Thai border when the relentless Japanese attacks were unleashed; having hurriedly moved to Butterworth airfield, the requirement to stem the rapid advancement and devastating aerial bombardments coming out of Singora saw Scarf take to the air: he could do nothing as he saw every single Blenheim in his Flight be shot up before they could even get 'wheels up'.

So the responsibility fell squarely on his shoulders to make the daring raid alone and without fighter support; Scarf made his bombing run despite being constantly harassed but was mortally wounded on the return journey, having his left arm shattered and several holes in his chest and back.

Somehow, with the assistance of his two Sergeants - and barely conscious - Scarf kept pressure on the controls despite his shattered arm and managed to crash-land at Alor Star, being rushed to the hospital and swiftly being administered morphia and two pints of blood donated by a Nurse who was a blood match; that Nurse turned out to be his wife, whom he had only been married for a few months, she was carrying their unborn child.

Scarf slipped away whilst in surgery but in the chaos of the Battle of Malaya - and eventual Fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942 - it would be over four years until his widow would be presented with the Victoria Cross by The King which her late husband had duly earned - his was truly the V.C. that represented the 'Forgotten War'.

'HIS LOVE OF LIFE WAS ONLY EXCEEDED BY THE COURAGE ENCOMPASSING HIS DEATH'

Such was the chaos which proceeded, that the actions of Scarf had to wait until 1946 to come to official notice. His parents donated a fund to produce the Scarf Trophy, to be awarded to the Far East Air Force Squadron considered best in weaponry. He is further commemorated at St Clement Danes Church, Aldwych, St Peters Church, Claypole, Lincolnshire, the National Memorial Arboretum and at the Bomber Command Memorial. Scarf Road, Canford is also named in his memory. A portrait was commissioned by the Old King's Club - to inspire future pupils at Wimbledon - painted by Edward Mossforth Neatby, being unveiled by Air Vice-Marshal Combe. It still hangs at the School today.