Arthur Ford Roscoe

Military

In and around aviation from an early age, a true 'hangar rat', applied to join West Point academy but failed the medical examination. Whilst working at LA Metropolitan Airport when he found out about the Knight comittee. Enlisted RAFVR 2-41, service pilot training in US,

shipped overseas to ETO, OTU training, assigned to 71S P/O on probation, worried that transfer to USAAF would spell an end to flying fighters, volunteered for RAF service abroad.

Early July 42 transferred to Malta via Scotland and aircraft carrier HMS Furious, Spitfire flown off Furious 11-8-42, joined 229 Sqn as P/O, involved in the defense of Malta, WIA 12-10-42

promoted to acting Fl/Lt, awarded - Distinguished Flying Cross, time expired and recovering from his wounds, boarded Liberator AL516 which on landing overshot the eastern end of runway at Gibraltar and crashed into the sea at 09:23 hours 31-10-42. Rescued, shocked but thankfully not further injured.

On recovery, he was posted to join 165 Squadron, then 242 Squadron, and in May 1944 was given command of 232 Squadron. He had destroyed 4 enemy aircraft and claimed 3 probables.

Connections

See how this entry relates to other items in the archive by exploring the connections below.

Units served with

No 71 'Eagle' Squadron

Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
Type Category: Fighter

Places

Kirton-in-Lindsey

Site type: Airfield

Martlesham Heath

Site type: Airfield

Tangmere

Site type: Airfield

Events

Event	Location	Date	Description
Other Operation Pedestal	Scapa Flow, United Kingdom	8 August 1942	Embarked aboard HMS Furious. Operation Pedestal.
Other 1st seaborne take off	70 NM south of Cape Salinas	11 August 1942	Spitfire flown off HMS Furious 11-8-42.
Other Landed Malta	Malta	11 August 1942	Landed on Malta.
Other Assigned	Malta	11 August 1942	Assigned to 229 Sqn RAF. Pilot Officer.
Other Malta defender	Malta	12 August 1942 - 12 October 1942	Flew in the defense of Malta.
Other E/A Kill	Malta	12 October 1942	1 x Bf109 damaged, 1 x Bf109 destroyed. Total 4 kill, 3 x damaged.
Other Wounded In Action WIA	Malta	12 October 1942	Wounded In Action.
Other Awarded - British DFC	Malta	30 October 1942	Citation: "On 12th October, 1942, this officer participated in an engagement against a force of enemy fighters. During the combat, one of his comrades was being attacked by a Bf109 but a burst from Fl Lt Roscoe's guns caused it to break away with pieces falling from it. His own aircraft was then attacked by 6 Bf109's. Although he was wounded in the shoulder and his aircraft was damaged he fought his way through and, in so doing, destroyed 1 of the attacking aircraft. Whilst heading for base he was again attacked. His engine caught fire and it was only by skilful airmanship that he was able to land his aircraft. This courageous officer who has completed a large number of sorties and destroyed 4 enemy aircraft has always displayed great skill and determination."
Other Survived landing accident	Gibraltar	31 October 1942	Time expired and recovering from his wounds, boarded Liberator AL516 which on landing overshot the eastern end of runway at Gibraltar and crashed into the sea at 09:23 hours 31-10-42. Rescued.
Other Mentioned In Dispatches MID	Dyce, Aberdeen, Aberdeen City, UK	9 May 1943	Mentioned In Dispatches [MID], flying Spitfire Vb BM515 from RAF Dyce intercepted defecting Ju88 nightfighter 13 miles north of Aberdeen and escorted back to base.
Died		12 March 2006	Died 12 March 2006
	California, USA
Other Turned down for US AAC	Westpoint Academy, 7269 Winchester Rd, Memphis, TN 38125, USA		Applied to join West Point academy but failed the medical examination.
Other Became aware of RAFVR	Los Angeles International Airport, 1 World Way, Los Angeles, CA 90045, USA		Whilst working at LA Metropolitan Airport when he found out about the Knight comittee.
Enlisted	Canada		Enlisted Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
Other Service pilot training	Tulsa, OK, USA		Service pilot training in US.
Other Shipped overseas	Merseyside, UK		Shipped overseas to ETO.
Other Operational training	Great Britain, United Kingdom		Operational training at OTU. Converted to Hurricane and Spitfires.
Other Assigned	Martlesham Heath, Martlesham, Suffolk, UK		Assigned to 71 [Eagle] Sqn RAF as Pilot Officer on probation.
Other Volunteered RAF service abroad			Worried that transfer to USAAF would spell an end to flying fighters.
Other Promoted	Malta		Promoted to acting Fl/Lt.
Other Assigned	Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, UK		Assigned to 165 Squadron.
Other Transferred	Digby, Lincoln, Lincolnshire LN4, UK		Transferred to 242 Squadron.
Other Squadron command	Poretta, 20290, France		Given command of 232 Squadron. Spitfire Mk IX's.
Born	California, USA

Revisions

Date26 Feb 2016 18:18:08

ContributorAl_Skiff

Changes

Sources

EAGLES of the RAF - The World War II Eagle Squadrons by Phillip D Caine.
http://www.airforce-art.com/squadron_history.php?Squadron=130
http://rafovermalta.blogspot.co.uk/2015/01/geoffrey-wellum.html
http://www.uswarmemorials.org/html/people_details.php?PeopleID=3723
http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/78-AF-953-Junkers-Ju8…

Date10 Oct 2015 16:52:02

ContributorAl_Skiff

Changes

Sources

Date10 Oct 2015 16:31:37

ContributorAl_Skiff

Changes

Sources

Date10 Oct 2015 15:12:34

ContributorAl_Skiff

Changes

Sources