At the Crack of Dawn - Air-Raiding before Breakfast, by Fl-Lt Harold Rosher, Mar 24 1915

The Western Front Association's widely acclaimed series of accounts extracted from 'I Was There!' continues with the last 'episode' from the current chapter.

In this video, Flight-Lieutenant Harold Rosher's letter to his parents is read by one of our fantastic volunteers. 

To set the context, we can go to the 'official' account of an air raid that took place which is reproduced below: 

"The Secretary of the Admiralty yesterday afternoon [24th March 1915] issued the following communication from Wing Commander Longmore:—

I have to report that a successful air attack was carried out this morning by five machines of the Dunkirk Squadron on the German submarines being constructed at Hoboken near Antwerp.

Two of the pilots had to return owing to thick weather, but Squadron Commander Ivor T. Courtney and Flight Lieutenant H. Rosher reached their objective, and after planing down to 1000 feet dropped four bombs each on the submarines. It is believed that considerable damage has been done to both the works and to submarines. The works were observed to be on fire. In all five submarines were observed on the slip.

Flight Lieutenant B. Crossley-Meates was obliged by engine trouble to descend in Holland.

Owing to the mist the two pilots experienced considerable difficulty in finding their way, and were subjected to a heavy gunfire while delivering their attack."

Harold Rosher

Born in Beckenham, Kent on 18 November 1893, Harold Rosher was the eldest son of Frank and Gertrude Rosher. Harold was educated at The Dene, Caterham and Woodbridge School. A good student despite suffering from asthma and bronchitis, he was considered below the average height for his age. An open air life was considered beneficial for his health, so he became a student at the South Eastern Agricultural College in Wye, Kent, until the outbreak of war.

In 1914 Harold applied for a commission in the Royal Naval Air Service and he enrolled at Brooklands Aerodrome, Weybridge where he commenced training to be a pilot. He was appointed as a Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant on 18 August and transferred to the Grahame-White Training School, Hendon, where he obtained his Aviators’ Certificate on 30 September 1914. He was later promoted to Flight Lieutenant.

Assigned to No. 1 Squadron (No.1 Wing), during his time with the Squadron, he sent numerous letters to his family, vividly describing his life as a pilot, both on and off duty. These letters were published posthumously in a book: 'With the Flying Squadron: Letters of a Pilot of the Royal Naval Air Service During the First World War' but one was also reproduced in 'I Was There!' which is why this is now part of our on-going series of accounts which appear on the WFA's YouTube channel. 

Harold Rosher's account brings to a close 'Chapter/Playlist' 8. We will soon move on to Chapter/Playlist 9 which covers the days leading up to the Gallipoli landings, and the landings themselves.