Leonard Henry Rochford

Leonard Henry Rochford
Nickname(s) "Tich"
Born (1896-10-11)11 October 1896
Enfield, England
Died 17 December 1986(1986-12-17) (aged 90)
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Royal Air Force
Years of service 1916–1919
1921
1939–1954
Rank Squadron Leader
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Distinguished Service Cross & bar
Distinguished Flying Cross

Squadron Leader Leonard Henry Rochford DSC*, DFC (10 November 1896 17 December 1986) was a British World War I flying ace credited with twenty-nine aerial victories.[1][2] He returned to military service in the Royal Air Force during World War II.

World War I

Born in Enfield in 1896, Rochford attempted to join the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) at the outbreak of the 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]

His 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, 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
1 4 March 1917
@1115
Sopwith Pup
(N5199)
Albatros D.I Out of control Manancourt
2 20 May 1917
@0930
Sopwith Pup
(N6461)
Albatros D.III Out of control North-east of Bullecourt
3 7 July 1917
@1110
Sopwith Pup
(N6162)
Seaplane Destroyed 6 miles north of Ostend

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

4 5 September 1917
@1820
Sopwith Camel
(B3807)
Albatros D.III Out of control Leke
5 11 September 1917
@1110
Sopwith Camel
(B3798)
Albatros D.V Out of control Thorout
6 28 January 1918
@1105
Sopwith Camel
(B6401)
DFW C.V Out of control Houthoulst Forest Shared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen & C. S. Devereux.
7 30 January 1918
@1045
Sopwith Camel
(B6401)
Albatros D.V Out of control Gheluvelt Shared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen & Aubrey Ellwood.
8 Albatros D.V Out of control
9 12 March 1918
@1100
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros C Out of control Brebières
10 16 March 1918
@1120
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Hannover C Destroyed in flames Gavrelle Shared with Flt. Sub-Lts. James Glen & Aubrey Ellwood.
11 21 March 1918
@1115
Sopwith Camel
(B7222)
Albatros D.V Out of control Douai Shared with Flt. Sub-Lt. James Glen.
12 21 March 1918
@1645
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros C Destroyed in flames 4 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.

13 22 March 1918
@1230
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros D.V Destroyed Boursies
14 24 March 1918
@1715
Sopwith Camel
(B7203)
Albatros D.V Out of control Beaumetz
No 203 Squadron RAF
15 15 May 1918
@1140
Sopwith Camel
(B3353)
DFW C.V Out of control North of Estaires Shared with Lt. C. F. Brown.
16 17 May 1918
@1115–1130
Sopwith Camel
(B7197)
Pfalz D.III Destroyed North of Estaires–Beaupre
17 Pfalz D.III Destroyed in flames North-east of Estaires Shared with Lts. C. F. Brown, Y. E. S. Kirkpatrick, & E. R. Prideaux.
18 19 May 1918
@1015
Sopwith Camel
(D3371)
DFW C.V Destroyed Merville
19 21 May 1918
@0530
Sopwith Camel
(D3413)
DFW C.V Destroyed Neuf-Berquin Shared with Lt. Ronald Berlyn.
20 5 June 1918 Sopwith Camel
(D3417)
LVG C Out of control La Bassée
21 7 June 1918
@1200
Sopwith Camel
(D3417)
Fokker Dr.I Out of control La Bassée
22 20 July 1918
@1800
Sopwith Camel
(D9618)
DFW C.V Destroyed South-east of Lestrem Shared with Lt. William Sidebottom.
23 22 July 1918
@0925
Sopwith Camel
(D9585)
Fokker D.VII Out of control Festubert
24 22 July 1918
@1035
Sopwith Camel
(D9585)
Fokker D.VII Destroyed Carvin
25 25 July 1918
@0740
Sopwith Camel
(D9618)
Fokker D.VII Destroyed East of La Bassée
26 11 August 1918
@1930
Sopwith Camel
(D9618)
Fokker D.VII Out of control East of Bray
27 7 September 1918
@0815
Sopwith Camel
(C197)
Fokker D.VII Destroyed North of Bourlon Wood
28 9 October 1918
@1630
Sopwith Camel
(D4386)
Rumpler C Destroyed in flames St. Aubert Shared with Lt. William Sidebottom.
29 29 October 1918
@1515
Sopwith Camel
(D4386)
Fokker D.VII Out of control East 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." (Gazetted 23 April 1918)[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 the 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." (Gazetted 4 June 1918)[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." (Gazetted 1 November 1918)[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]

World War II

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]

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 World War II, to serve as a lieutenant in Combined Operations, then qualified as a barrister after the war.[17]

Publications

References

Notes
  1. 1 2 3 O'Connor (2005), p. 103.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "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. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29786. p. 9953. 17 October 1916.
  5. The London Gazette: no. 30156. p. 6415. 29 June 1917.
  6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30654. p. 5060. 23 April 1918.
  7. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30732. p. 6772. 4 June 1918.
  8. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30989. p. 12971. 1 November 1918.
  9. The London Gazette: no. 31308. p. 5205. 25 April 1919.
  10. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31378. p. 7042. 30 May 1919.
  11. The London Gazette: no. 32311. p. 3544. 3 May 1921.
  12. The London Gazette: no. 32368. p. 5015. 24 June 1921.
  13. The London Gazette: no. 34642. p. 4582. 4 July 1939.
  14. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34718. pp. 7182–7183. 27 October 1939.
  15. The London Gazette: no. 35503. p. 1391. 27 March 1942.
  16. The London Gazette: no. 40255. p. 4750. 13 August 1954.
  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

External links

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