84 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Died as a Japanese prisoner of war on the 24 April 1944

Aged 22, he was the son of Frederick and Alice Scaife of Milton Street, Burnley.

The first report about William was in the Burnley Express of 23 February 1942: -

Serving with H.M. Forces

(5) A.C.1. W Scaif, who will be 20 tomorrow (Thursday) is serving in the Middle East. He has been in the R.A.F 18 months, and in the Middle East for 10 months. He is the youngest son of Mr and Mrs Scaife of 85 Milton Street. His brother, Fred, is serving in the Navy.

The Burnley Express of 5 January 1944 reported :-

News After Two Years

After an interval of two years more Burnley families have had the joy of hearing from relatives who are prisoners in Java. Reported prisoner in Japan over the Japanese radio in May 1943 A.C.1 Scaife has now sent a card to his wife at 85 Milton Street in which he states that he is a prisoner in a Java camp and is quite well. Before volunteering for the R.A.F. in October 1940 A.C.1. Scaife was employed at Park Pit. In March 1941 he went abroad. His brother Fred is a gunner in the Royal Navy."

The edition of 3 November 1945 reported his death as follows:-

Died in Far East

The family of L.A.C. William Scaife of 85 Milton Street, Burnley have been notified that he died while a prisoner of war in the Far East on April 24th 1944. L.A.C. Scaife was first reported to be a prisoner of war in May 1943, and was the first of the local emn reported missing in the Far East to be located in a prison camp. Formerly he worked at Townel;ey Pit and for Mesrrs Morris and Wilkinson. He had been in the R.A.F. for 5 years.

Buried in Ambon War Cemetery, Indonesia.