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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

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.

First World War

[edit]

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

[edit]
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

[edit]
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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

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

References

[edit]
Notes
  1. ^ a b c O'Connor (2005), p. 103.
  2. ^ a b c d "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.
[edit]
  • Kocent-Zieliński, Edward (2015). "Sopwith Camel". kagero.pl. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
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