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{{short description|Royal Air Force officer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Charles Anthony Woods-Scawen
|birth_date=18 February 1918
|death_date=2 September 1940 (aged 22)
|birth_place=[[Karachi]], British India
|death_place= [[Ivychurch]], [[Kent]], England
|image=
|caption=
|nickname="Tony", "Wombat"
|allegiance={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|serviceyears=1938–1940
|rank=[[Pilot Officer]]
|branch= {{air force|United Kingdom}}
|commands=
|units=[[No. 43 Squadron RAF]]
|battles=[[Second World War]]
* [[European air campaign (World War II)|European air campaign]]
** [[Battle of France]]
** [[Battle of Britain]] {{KIA}}
|awards=[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]
|relations=[[Patrick Woods-Scawen]]
|laterwork=
}}

'''Charles Anthony Woods-Scawen''' [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|DFC]] (18 February 1918 – 2 September 1940) was a [[Royal Air Force]] officer who flew during the [[Battle of Britain]] and as such is one of "[[The Few]]".

==Early life==
Woods-Scawen was born on 18 February in [[Karachi]], [[British India]], the son of Philip Neri and Kathleen Florence Woods-Scawen. He and his elder brother [[Patrick Woods-Scawen|Patrick]] returned to the family home in [[Farnborough, Hampshire|Farnborough]], [[Hampshire]] in 1924. He was educated at the [[Salesian College (Farnborough)|Salesian College, Farnborough]].

==Royal Air Force==
Woods-Scawen joined the [[Royal Air Force]] on a short service commission in March 1938. He was promoted to the rank of [[Acting Pilot Officer]],<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34513 |date=24 May 1938 |page=3358 }}</ref> posted to No. 6 Flying Training School at [[RAF Netheravon]] on 21 May 1938 and joined [[No. 43 Squadron RAF]] at [[RAF Tangmere]] on 17 December.

===Battle of Britain===
On 31 May 1940, Woods-Scawn's [[Hawker Hurricane|Hurricane]]<ref>L1592</ref> was damaged in combat with [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]]s. He returned to Tangmere and made a [[belly landing]]. On 1 June he damaged a Bf 109.<ref>[http://www.bbm.org.uk/Woods-ScawenCA.htm Battle of Britain London Monument – P/O C A Woods-Scawen] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609224339/http://www.bbm.org.uk/Woods-ScawenCA.htm |date=9 June 2012 }}</ref>

On 7 June 1940 Woods-Scawen baled out over France after a combat with an Bf 109 near [[Dieppe, Seine-Maritime|Dieppe]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Bail-Outs for 1940|url=http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Bailouts/bailout_1940-02.htm|website=ejection-history.org.uk|accessdate=28 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160712060601/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Bailouts/bailout_1940-02.htm|archive-date=12 July 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> He landed in German-held territory and had walked twenty miles before falling in with a retreating British column. Evacuated from [[Cherbourg Naval Base]], Woods-Scawen arrived back at Tangmere eight days after he took off.

On 8 August he claimed a [[Messerschmitt Bf 110|Bf 110]] destroyed and three [[Junkers Ju 87|Ju 87s]] probably destroyed ten miles south of the [[Isle of Wight]], but his own aircraft was damaged and he landed back at Tangmere with slight shell splinter wounds in the legs. On 12 August Woods-Scawen damaged a [[Heinkel He 111|He 111]] and on 13 August claimed two [[Junkers Ju 88|Ju 88s]] destroyed over [[Petworth]] but was himself shot down by return fire and baled out, unhurt.<ref name="ejection-history1">{{cite web|title=Bail-Outs for 1940|url=http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Bailouts/bailout_1940-03.htm|website=ejection-history.org.uk|accessdate=28 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221041207/http://www.ejection-history.org.uk/Bailouts/bailout_1940-03.htm|archive-date=21 December 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> His Hurricane<ref>R4102</ref> crashed and burned out on Northend Farm, Milland, near [[Midhurst]].

Woods-Scawen claimed another He 111 destroyed on 15 August and two Ju 87s on 16 August. On this day Woods-Scawen was shot down by a Bf 109 off the Sussex coast and baled out, slightly injured.<ref name="ejection-history1"/> His Hurricane<ref>N2621</ref> crashed near [[Parkhurst, Isle of Wight|Parkhurst]], Isle of Wight. Woods-Scawen claimed a Bf 109 destroyed on 30 August.

On 1 September 1940 Woods-Scawen's brother, [[Patrick Woods-Scawen]], was shot down in combat with Bf 109s in the [[Kenley]] area; he bailed out but was killed when his parachute failed. His body was not found until 6 September in the grounds of The Ivies, Kenley Lane.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbm.org.uk/Woods-ScawenPP.htm |title=Battle of Britain London Monument – F/O P P WOODS-SCAWEN |access-date=25 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609224418/http://www.bbm.org.uk/Woods-ScawenPP.htm |archive-date=9 June 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Woods-Scawen was shot down in combat over [[Ivychurch]] with Bf 109s on 2 September 1940 but bailed out too low and was killed. His Hurricane<ref>V7420</ref> caught fire and crashed at Fryland, near Ivychurch.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pilots: Wo|url=http://www.the-battle-of-britain.co.uk/pilots/Wo-pilots.htm|website=the-battle-of-britain.co.uk|accessdate=28 September 2016}}</ref><ref>{{ASN accident|wikibase=yes|id=90917|type=Accident|title=Hurricane V7420|accessdate=24 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Archive Report: Hurricane I V7420 |url=http://aircrewremembered.com/woods-scawen-charles-anthony.html |website=Aircrew Remembered |accessdate=24 March 2020}}</ref>

Woods-Scawen was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]. The award was gazetted four days after his death.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34940 |date=6 September 1940 |pages=5407–5408 }}</ref> The citation read:
<blockquote>This officer has taken part in all engagements carried out by his squadron since the commencement of hostilities. He has destroyed a total of six enemy aircraft and serviously damaged several others. In June 1940, Pilot Officer Woods-Scawen was shot down, landing some 25 miles within French territory, but succeed in making his way back to his squadron. In spite of the fact this pilot has been shot down six times, he has continued to fight with unabated courage and enthusiasm, and has shown outstanding qualities as a resourceful and determined leader.</blockquote>

He is buried in [[Hawkinge|Hawkinge Cemetery]], Kent.<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2361233 CWGC – Casualty Details]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Woods-Scawen, Anthony}}
[[Category:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II]]
[[Category:The Few]]
[[Category:People educated at Salesian College, Farnborough]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1940 deaths]]
[[Category:Aviators killed by being shot down]]
[[Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in England]]
[[Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1940]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Karachi]]
[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]

Anthony Woods-Scawen - Revision history

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