Flight Lieutenant Robert Leslie Scarlett^{[1, 2]}

1920 - 1944  (24 years)

• Gender	Male
  Military	Robert Scarlett was in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War Two. From the Facebook page of “Air Force Museum of New Zealand” “Our final story in our remembrance series in the lead-up to Anzac Day 2016 story takes place in the Pacific theatre of operations during World War Two, on the island of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. On the morning of 20 December 1944, wireless operator Flight Lieutenant Robert Scarlett of Westport took off with his highly experienced crew in a No. 1 Squadron RNZAF Lockheed Ventura. In true Anzac spirit, they were tasked with dropping supplies to Australian troops fighting the Japanese. After some delay, they commenced their dropping run but had insufficient power to make it over a ridge, stalled and crashed into the dense undergrowth. Their pilot, Flight Lieutenant Denis Hobbs and navigator Sergeant Fred Dudley died instantly. Robert Scarlett and the two air gunners were badly injured. Robert, together with Warrant Officer Stan Anzac Nuttall, was carried down from the ridge by Australian soldiers, but sadly, he died on the way. Stan also later died of his burns. Only the remaining air gunner, Flight Sergeant Neville Gardiner survived, having been rescued and evacuated by the Australians and local coast-watchers. The four crew who died are buried in the Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery in New Caledonia. Like other families in New Zealand, Robert Scarlett’s received a Memorial Cross in addition to his campaign and service medals as a symbol of his sacrifice.”  [3]
  Birth	19 February 1920	Westport, West Coast, New Zealand   [2]
  School	between 1923 and 1925	Arapito School, Arapito, Karamea, West Coast, New Zealand   [4]
  Death	20 December 1944	Bougainville, Solomon Islands   [3]
  	Killed in Action RNZAF WW II
  Burial	after 20 December 1944	Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery, Bourail, New Caledonia   [2, 3, 5]
  	Originally entered as “Bouganville” from Tom Fitzsimons
  Headstones	Submit Headstone Photo
  Person ID	I2154	Roger
  Last Modified	7 January 2026

  
  

  Father	Leslie Robert Scarlett           b. 6 March 1898, Karamea, West Coast, New Zealand           d. 15 December 1981, Karamea, West Coast, New Zealand (Age 83 years)
  Mother	Eliza Margaret “Maggie” James           b. 7 October 1899, Pontyberem, Carmarthenshire, Wales           d. 11 December 1982, Westport, West Coast, New Zealand (Age 83 years)
  Family ID	F528	Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 19 February 1920 - Westport, West Coast, New Zealand  School - between 1923 and 1925 - Arapito School, Arapito, Karamea, West Coast, New Zealand  Death - 20 December 1944 - Bougainville, Solomon Islands  Burial - after 20 December 1944 - Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery, Bourail, New Caledonia
  Pin Legend

  
  

• Photos » Slide Show		Arapito School Children - a picture posted on “I came from Karamea” on Facebook by Royce Smith Arapito School Pupils. (estimated taken between 1923 and 1925) (Back row) (8) Violet James, May James (Royce’s Mum), Elva Lineham, Annie Ray, Annie Allen, Neil Hall, Stan Lineham, & Jim Scarlett. (Middle row) (9) Clarice Scarlett, Peter Furse,(teacher) holding Sadie Scarlett, and Leslie Scarlett, Alf Lineham, Arthur John “Jack” Lineham, Roy Allen, Tom Scarlett, Jack James. (Front row) (5) Douglas Lineham, Valerie Scarlett, Lance Hall, Ken Lineham, and Clive Johnson. Note Clarice, Sadie, and Valerie Scarlett, were Alex Scarlett’s daughters from Stony Creek. Tom Scarlett, was killed in the bush at Granite Creek.
  		Robert Leslie Scarlett “Portrait of Flight Lieutenant Robert Leslie Scarlett, from the archives of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.” Posted on Facebook by Air Force Museum of New Zealand. https:/​/​www​.facebook​.com/​AirForceMuseumofNewZealand/​posts/​10153614628401279
  		Ernie and Leslie Scarlett with Lennie Chambers Photo posted on Facebook by Ray Douglas on 23 April 2020.
  		Les Scarlett and his flight crew Photo posted on Facebook on 24 April 2022 by Ray Douglas
  		Leslie Scarlett in World War Two Uniform Photo posted on Facebook in “Scarlett family group” by Royce Smith
  		Robert Leslie Scarlett Image posted on Facebook “I came from Karamea” by Royce Smith 25 September 2033. “Who can remember this tall popular Guy from Arapito,,, It is,, F/O Leslie Scarlett. Older brother of Erle ,Merle,Eddie. Vince, And Gilbert. Lost his life at a young age in the Pacific War.”
  		Theo Scarlett, Ken Curtis, Eva Prout, and Leslie Scarlett Photo posted on Facebook by Royce Smith on 23 April 2024 Left to right: Theo Scarlett, Ken Curtis, Eva Prout, Leslie Scarlett “It says on the pic ,,the chap in the middle is a Curtis,, Theo is on the Left, and Eva and Leslie,(just in the pic) on the right. I knew Eva well enough . She was from Westport and I think her and Leslie were engaged. --Theo was the Turret Gunner in a three crew Avenger Torpedo bomber . The largest single engine aircraft of the war. Carried a 2000 pound torpedo. Because of its size and weight ,was rather clumsy and had a very low survival life. I need to check this out,,, but believe Eva later married the sole survivor of the Ventura crash which claimed Leslie's life. His name was Tate,, and I know he visited Aunty Mag.and Uncle Les.after the war.--- Not 100% sure tho..”

  
  

  Military » Slide Show		Memorial Certificate of Robert Leslie Scarlett From Commonwealth War Graves Commission Website http:/​/​www​.cwgc​.org/​find-war-dead/​casualty/​2385091/​SCARLETT,​%20ROBERT​%20LESLIE
  		Graves Registration Report Form - shows R. L. Scarlett and T. R. Scarlett
  		Robert Leslie Scarlett’s Service Medals “Robert Scarlett’s medal group, including the Memorial Cross on the far right, now in the collection of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.“ Photo posted on Facebook by Air Force Museum of New Zealand on 23 April 2016. https:/​/​www​.facebook​.com/​AirForceMuseumofNewZealand/​posts/​10153614628401279

  
  

• Sources

  [S30] prepared by Roger Moffat, Roger’s Original Genealogy Data Files. [S309] from Tom Fitzsimons, GEDCOM File “Scarlett.ged”. [S2553] posted by Air Force Museum of New Zealand, Website titled “facebook - Air Force Museum of New Zealand”. [S2974] posted by Royce Smith on 8 October 2020, Website titled “facebook”. [S2554] posted by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Website of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.