Leonard Rochford

Leonard Henry Rochford, DSC & Bar, DFC (10 November 1896 – 17 December 1986) was a British flying ace of the First World War, credited with 29 aerial victories.[1][2] He returned to military service in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Leonard Rochford
Nickname(s)"Tich"
Born(1896-10-11)11 October 1896
Enfield, England
Died17 December 1986(1986-12-17) (aged 90)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Royal Air Force
Years of service1916–1919
1921
1939–1954
RankSquadron Leader
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross & Bar
Distinguished Flying Cross
Mentioned in Despatches

First World War

Born in Enfield on 10 November 1896, Rochford attempted to join the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) at the outbreak of the First World War but was rejected as being underage.[1] Instead he went to university and also learned to fly, being granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 1840 after soloing an L. & P. biplane, at the London and Provincial School, Hendon, on 7 October 1915.[3]

Rochford finally joined the Royal Navy in early 1916 as a probationary temporary flight sub-lieutenant, to serve in the Royal Naval Air Service, and was confirmed in his rank on 14 May 1916.[4] He was posted to No. 3 Naval Squadron RNAS in January 1917.[1] Initially flying a Sopwith Pup, he gained his first three aerial victories between March and July 1917.,[2] also gaining promotion to flight lieutenant on 30 June 1917.[5]

Rochford's squadron was then re-equipped with the Sopwith Camel, and Rochford gained two more victories in September to attain "ace" status. He gained three more victories in January 1918, and six in March, bringing his total to fourteen. On 1 April 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service was merged with the Army's Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force (RAF), and Rochford's unit was renamed and renumbered as No. 203 Squadron RAF. He went on to gain five more victories in May, two in June, and four in July, and his final four between August and October. His 29 claims consisted of 13 enemy aircraft destroyed (including 7 shared), and 16 driven down out of control (including 5 shared).[2]

List of aerial victories

Combat record[2]
No. Date/Time Aircraft/
Serial No.
Opponent Result Location Notes
No. 3 Squadron RNAS
14 March 1917
@1115
Sopwith Pup
(N5199)
Albatros D.IOut of controlManancourt
220 May 1917
@0930
Sopwith Pup
(N6461)
Albatros D.IIIOut of controlNorth-east of Bullecourt
37 July 1917
@1110
Sopwith Pup
(N6162)
SeaplaneDestroyed6 miles north of Ostend

Shared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Fall, James Glen, Frederick Armstrong, & R. F. P. Abbott.

45 September 1917
@1820
Sopwith Camel
(B3807)
Albatros D.IIIOut of controlLeke
511 September 1917
@1110
Sopwith Camel
(B3798)
Albatros D.VOut of controlThorout
628 January 1918
@1105
Sopwith Camel
(B6401)
DFW C.VOut of controlHouthoulst ForestShared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen & C. S. Devereux.
730 January 1918
@1045
Sopwith Camel
(B6401)
Albatros D.VOut of controlGheluveltShared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen & Aubrey Ellwood.
8Albatros D.VOut of control
912 March 1918
@1100
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros COut of controlBrebières
1016 March 1918
@1120
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Hannover CDestroyed in flamesGavrelleShared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen & Aubrey Ellwood.
1121 March 1918
@1115
Sopwith Camel
(B7222)
Albatros D.VOut of controlDouaiShared with Flt. Sub-Lt. James Glen.
1221 March 1918
@1645
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros CDestroyed in flames4 miles East of Bapaume

Shared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen, O. P. Adam, K. D. MacLeod, William Chisam, Aubrey Ellwood, C. S. Devereux, L. A. Sands, Ronald Berlyn, & Edwin Hayne.

1322 March 1918
@1230
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros D.VDestroyedBoursies
1424 March 1918
@1715
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros D.VOut of controlBeaumetz
No 203 Squadron RAF
1515 May 1918
@1140
Sopwith Camel
(B3353)
DFW C.VOut of controlNorth of EstairesShared with Lt. C. F. Brown.
1617 May 1918
@1115–1130
Sopwith Camel
(B7197)
Pfalz D.IIIDestroyedNorth of Estaires–Beaupre
17Pfalz D.IIIDestroyed in flamesNorth-east of EstairesShared with Lts. C. F. Brown, Y. E. S. Kirkpatrick, & E. R. Prideaux.
1819 May 1918
@1015
Sopwith Camel
(D3371)
DFW C.VDestroyedMerville
1921 May 1918
@0530
Sopwith Camel
(D3413)
DFW C.VDestroyedNeuf-BerquinShared with Lt. Ronald Berlyn.
205 June 1918Sopwith Camel
(D3417)
LVG COut of controlLa Bassée
217 June 1918
@1200
Sopwith Camel
(D3417)
Fokker Dr.IOut of controlLa Bassée
2220 July 1918
@1800
Sopwith Camel
(D9618)
DFW C.VDestroyedSouth-east of LestremShared with Lt. William Sidebottom.
2322 July 1918
@0925
Sopwith Camel
(D9585)
Fokker D.VIIOut of controlFestubert
2422 July 1918
@1035
Sopwith Camel
(D9585)
Fokker D.VIIDestroyedCarvin
2525 July 1918
@0740
Sopwith Camel
(D9618)
Fokker D.VIIDestroyedEast of La Bassée
2611 August 1918
@1930
Sopwith Camel
(D9618)
Fokker D.VIIOut of controlEast of Bray
277 September 1918
@0815
Sopwith Camel
(C197)
Fokker D.VIIDestroyedNorth of Bourlon Wood
289 October 1918
@1630
Sopwith Camel
(D4386)
Rumpler CDestroyed in flamesSt. AubertShared with Lt. William Sidebottom.
2929 October 1918
@1515
Sopwith Camel
(D4386)
Fokker D.VIIOut of controlEast of Bruay

Awards and citations

Distinguished Service Cross

Flight Lieutenant (Acting-Flight Commander) Leonard Henry Rochford, RNAS.
For consistent determination, bravery and skill as a fighting pilot and flight commander. He has destroyed and driven down out of control many enemy machines.[6]

Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross

Flight Lieutenant (Acting-Flight Commander) Leonard Henry Rochford, RNAS.
For consistent determination, bravery, and skill. As a flight commander he has shown considerable ability, and has always set a fine example when dealing with enemy aircraft. On 21 March 1918, when on offensive patrol, he attacked one of nine Albatross scouts. Enemy aircraft was seen to go down in the mist out of control. He has destroyed or driven down out of control many other enemy machines.[7]

Distinguished Flying Cross

Captain Leonard Henry Rochford, DSC.
This officer has already been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar for gallantry and devotion to duty – qualities in which he revels. Since the award he has accounted for twelve enemy aircraft – six destroyed and six driven down out of control.[8]

Inter-war career

Rochford was transferred to the RAF unemployed list on 17 April 1919,[9] and received a mention in despatches in May "for valuable services rendered during the war".[10] He was restored to the active list for temporary duty, with the rank of flight lieutenant, between 13 April[11] and 4 June 1921, before being transferred back to the unemployed list.[12]

Second World War

On 9 May 1939, as the threat of war with Germany loomed, Rochford was granted a commission (Class CC) in the Reserve of Air Force Officers (RAFO), with the rank of flying officer (honorary flight lieutenant).[13] On 1 September 1939, the day that the German invasion of Poland began, Rochford relinquished his commission in the RAFO, and was appointed a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.[14] He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 March 1942.[15]

Rochford remained a reserve officer post-war, eventually relinquishing his commission on 10 February 1954, and was granted permission to retain his rank.[16]

Rochford appeared as a contributor in the 1987 documentary 'The Cavalry of the Clouds', produced by British regional commercial television station 'HTV West'.

Personal life

Rochford married Elizabeth Maud Moffet (1895–1964). They had a son, James Donald Henry Rochford (1921–1986), who joined the Royal Navy during the Second World War, to serve as a lieutenant in Combined Operations, then qualified as a barrister after the war.[17]

Publications

  • Rochford, Leonard H. (1977). I Chose The Sky. London, UK: Kimber. ISBN 9780718300852.

References

Notes
  1. O'Connor (2005), p. 103.
  2. "Leonard Henry Rochford". The Aerodrome. 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  3. "Aviators' Certificates". Flight. VII (355): 783. 15 October 1915. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
  4. "No. 29786". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 October 1916. p. 9953.
  5. "No. 30156". The London Gazette. 29 June 1917. p. 6415.
  6. "No. 30654". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 April 1918. p. 5060.
  7. "No. 30732". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1918. p. 6772.
  8. "No. 30989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 November 1918. p. 12971.
  9. "No. 31308". The London Gazette. 25 April 1919. p. 5205.
  10. "No. 31378". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 May 1919. p. 7042.
  11. "No. 32311". The London Gazette. 3 May 1921. p. 3544.
  12. "No. 32368". The London Gazette. 24 June 1921. p. 5015.
  13. "No. 34642". The London Gazette. 4 July 1939. p. 4582.
  14. "No. 34718". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 October 1939. pp. 7182–7183.
  15. "No. 35503". The London Gazette. 27 March 1942. p. 1391.
  16. "No. 40255". The London Gazette. 13 August 1954. p. 4750.
  17. Houterman, Hans; Koppes, Jeroen (2015). "Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNVR) Officers 1940–1945 (Robb to Ryan)". WWII Unit Histories & Officers. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
Bibliography
  • O'Connor, M. (2005). Airfields & Airmen of the Channel Coast. Pen & Sword Military. ISBN 1-84415-258-8.
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
  • Kocent-Zieliński, Edward (2015). "Sopwith Camel". kagero.pl. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
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