Arthur Clowes, DFC, DFM (16 August 1912 – 7 December 1949) was a British flying ace who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

Born in Sawley, Derbyshire, Clowes joined the RAF in 1929 to train in ground crew duties.

1 Squadron as a sergeant pilot at the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, he flew extensively during the Battle of France and the following aerial campaign over southeast England.

He later commanded fighter squadrons in Egypt and Libya but his operational flying career came to an end in September 1943 when he lost sight in one eye due to an accident.

In the postwar period, he remained in the RAF in an administrative role but died of liver cancer in 1949, aged 37.

Clowes, who went to Long Eaton Council Elementary School, joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) in early 1929 for training as ground crew.

[4] On 23 November Clowes, who was nicknamed 'Taffy' was flying as part of a section of three Hurricanes which pursued a Heinkel He 111 medium bomber to the northeast of Saarbrücken.

Promptly in action, he destroyed a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter and a Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber on 14 May.

1 Squadron, still based at Tangmere but shortly to move to the RAF station at Northolt, resumed operational duties in late July.

[3] This was gazetted on 20 August and the published citation read: Sergeant Clowes has displayed courage and determination in many combats against the enemy.

[4] Clowes was involved with one of the squadron's earliest missions, leading a detachment to strafe German infrastructure near Calais.

[1] The citation, published in The London Gazette, read: This officer has displayed great skill in his engagements against the enemy and has destroyed at least 11 of their aircraft.

His coolness and judgment on all occasions have been an inspiration to his fellow pilots.Clowes was promoted to flight lieutenant on 10 December and subsequently appointed to command of No.

[1][12] His new unit was based at Baginton, in Coventry, and operated Hurricanes on patrol duties and also occasionally being scrambled to intercept incoming Luftwaffe bombers.

601 Squadron, based at advanced landing airfields in Egypt and operating Supermarine Spitfire fighters in a ground support role, from August 1942 to March 1943.

1 Middle East Training School at El Ballah for a refresher course, in June he assumed command of No.

[1][3] This operated a mix of Hurricanes and Spitfires from Luigi di Savoia, in Libya, in sorties to Crete and beyond to the Aegean Sea.