In March 1943 Van Rolleghem commenced training on the Avro Lancaster with his first crew at No 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit at Lindholme and was posted to 103 Squadron at Elsham Wolds on the 28th April 1943 to start his first tour with the squadron.

Squadron Leader F V P Van Rolleghem and his first crew.

From the start it was clear that he was an exceptional pilot with tremendous determination and fighting spirit. He quickly welded his crew into a first class operational unit and on the 24th July 1943 he was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. Van Rolleghem flew throughout the Battle of the Ruhr and his Lancaster sustained battle damage on several occasions but he always brought it home safely. On the 1st August 1943 he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant and by the 6th September 1943 had completed his first tour of 30 operations.

He was posted too the Air Ministry and sent on a tour to lecture at factories in Britain.

After 2 months he served as an instructor at No 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit but wanted to get back to his old squadron to fly operations again as soon as possible.

Now promoted to Acting Squadron Leader he was posted back to Elsham Wolds to join 103 Squadron with 4 of his old crew on the 18th March 1944. After completing several operations Van Rolleghem fell ill and was taken to an RAF hospital on the 14th April 1944 where he was found to have the beginnings of a duodenal ulcer. He was put on a strict diet at this time to control the condition and prevent the need for an operation.

Whilst recovering in hospital Van Rolleghem was devastated to find out that his crew had failed to return from an operation to Hasselt on the 11/12th May 1944. Their pilot on this operation was the new squadron commanding officer and there were sadly no survivors.

Van Rolleghem was classified as " Unfit for flying duties" at this time but managed to get this changed to " Unfit for flying at high altitude" He returned to operations with 103 Squadron and took over as pilot of an all British crew who had lost their own pilot. He completed his second tour of 20 operations flying in the bombing operations in preparation to the D Day invasion of Europe and in the bomber support operations in the aftermath of the invasion. He completed his second tour on the 3rd August 1944 and immediately started a third tour with the same crew. This was completed on the 26th October 1944. On the 22nd October 1944 he was awarded a well earned and overdue Distinguished Service Order. He had flown 70 operations in 18 months.

The citation reads " Since being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross this officer, as Flight Commander, has completed a further 42 sorties against varied and heavily defended targets. He has displayed outstanding ability, enthusiasm and courage, qualities which have contributed largely to the high standard of morale maintained by his crews. Despite intense opposition Squadron Leader Van Rolleghem has never failed to reach and bomb his objective."

At this time he was ordered off operations for good and posted to the RAF College at Cranwell. He returned to Belgium and his wife and family on the 25th December 1944.

Van Rolleghem served in the new Belgian Air Force after the war showing the same energy and determination in peacetime that he had during the war. He spent 5 years in Paris with SHAPE and 3 years in Washington on the NATO Military Committee. He received many high honours and promotions for his work after the war and was finally promoted to the rank of Lieutenant General ( Air Marshall ) of the Belgian Air Force. He retired on the 1st January 1970 and passed away on the 30th April 1983 aged 72 at his home in Belgium

Van Rolleghem was a very modest man and rarely spoke of his wartime experiences except to fellow aircrew and close friends. He believed that he had only done his duty during the war. Without doubt he was a credit to his country and served Belgium and her allies admirably and with great distinction in both war and peace.

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