Bidspirit auction | WW2 Battle of Britain ACM

WW2 Battle of Britain ACM Sir Frederick Rosier GCB, CBE DSO signed RAF cover. 75th Anniversary of the RAF FDC PM RAF 75th Anniversary First Day of Issue 1 April 1993 BIOT. He received a Short Service Commission in the Royal Air Force in 1935 and served with No. 43 Squadron flying Hawker Fury aircraft at Tangmere from 1936 to 1939. He was a flight commander with No. 229 Squadron RAF (Hawker Hurricane aircraft) by May 1940, having helped form and convert the squadron from the Bristol Blenheim aircraft. He first saw active service during the Second World War in France where he commanded a detachment of No. 229 Squadron at Vitry-en-Artois near Arras and was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109, 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 with No. 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 No. 263 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 Sergeant 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 No. 211 Group and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for operations over Libya in 1941. Returning to the UK in 1943, he became simultaneously officer commanding No. 52 Operational Training Unit and RAF Aston Down. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire mid that year, before being appointed to command RAF Northolt in 1944. Good condition Est.