Frederick Rosier

Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier GCB, CBE, DSO (13 October 1915-10 September 1998) was a Royal Air Force commander.

Born in Wrexham on 13 October 1915, son of E. G. Rosier, a railway engine driver, Fred Rosier was educated at Grove Park School and played rugby for North Wales Schoolboys.

He received it Short Service Commission in the RAF in 1935 and served with 43 Squadron (Fighters) flying Hawker Fury aircraft at Tangmere 1936-39. He was a flight commander in 229 Squadron (Hurricanes) by May 1940 having helped form and convert the squadron from Blenheims. He first saw active service during the Second World War in France where he commanded a detachment of 229 Squadron at Vitry near Arras and was shot down by an Me109 receiving facial burns. Returning to active service by October 1940 he commanded 229 Squadron from RAF Northolt for the last 12 days of the Battle of Britain.

He embarked 229 Squadron for North Africa on board HMS Furious and led the aircraft in a take-off from ship to North Africa via Malta. Promoted to Wing Commander in 1941, he took charge of 262 Wing where he had joint operational control of the Desert Air Force's fighter squadrons. In November 1941 he spotted an Australian Tomahawk aircraft being forced down by enemy fighters and landed his single-seater to rescue the pilot. Having got Sgt. Burney aboard he attempted to take-off but suffered a burst tyre and crashed the aircraft. Both he and Burney walked across the desert for four days, avoiding large enemy patrols, to reach safety with a Guards unit.

Rosier became the deputy commander of 211 Fighter Group and was awarded the DSO. Returning to the UK in 1943 he became OC 52 Operational Training Unit and then OC RAF Northolt.

His post-war appointments were numerous and varied as he rose to the highest echelons of the Royal Air Force: OC RAF Horsham St. Faith 1947; Exchange Officer with USAF 1948-50; Instructor Joint Services Staff College, 1950-52; Group Captain Operations at Central Fighter Establishment, 1952-54; Group Captain Plans at Fighter Command 1955-56; ADC to HM The Queen 1956-58; Imperial Defence College 1957; Director of Joint Plans, Air Ministry, 1958; Chairman Joint Planning Staff, 1959-61; AOC Air Forces Middle East, 1961-63; Senior Air Staff Officer, HQ Transport Command 1964-66; AOC-in-C, RAF Fighter Command 1966-68; UK Member Permanent Military Deputies Group, Central Treaty Organisation, Ankara 1968-70; Deputy C-in-C Allied Forces Central Europe 1970-73; Air ADC to HM The Queen 1972-73.

Retiring from the RAF in 1973 he became a Military Advisor and Director of the British Aircraft Corporation (Preston) Ltd., 1973-77 and Director of BAC Saudi Arabia. His awards included: DSO, 1942; OBE, 1943; Commander Order of Orange Nassau, 1947; CBE, 1955; CB, 1961; KCB, 1966; GCB 1972.

He was the Chairman of the Polish Pilots Benevolent Fund and received the Polish Order of Merit in 1998. Sir Fred married Hettie Denise Blackwell of Wrexham in 1939, and they had three sons and one daughter. For the last few years of his life he lived as Sun Bank, Trevor, near Llangollen and died on 10 September 1998.

References

* [http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Rosier.htm Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation - Air Chf Mshl Sir Frederick Rosier]
*Image and Biography. The Encyclopaedia of Wrexham - W. Alister Williams - Published 2001