After the disruption to Scouting caused by the Japanese invasion of Borneo during the Second World War, Yew revitalised the Troop at All Saints' Church, Jesselton.
Yew retired from Scouting in 1959, but continued to serve on the Local Association, West Coast Council as a Lay member, and was made Honorary Commissioner.
In 1963 he received a Silver Wolf award from the then Chief Scout Sir Charles Maclean.
Yew was an accomplished artist, and painted many local scenes of North Borneo life, in watercolours and from 1957 he used oils as well.
Yew’s watercolours were used to illustrate the front covers of Maxwell Hall’s books Kinabalu Guerillas and Labuan Story.