Roderick Alastair Brook Learoyd
Encyclopedia
Wing Commander
Roderick Alastair Brook Learoyd VC
(5 February 1913 - 24 January 1996) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
in February 1913. Educated at Hydreye House Preparatory School, Baldstow, Sussex, and Wellington College, Berkshire, Learoyd then attended the Chelsea College of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering.
After two years in Argentina as a farmer, Learoyd decided to join the RAF and was accepted in March 1936. Learoyd took a short service commission and was posted to 49 Squadron
, Bomber Command equipped with Hawker Hind
s at RAF Worthy Down. In March 1938, 49 Squadron moved to Scampton
and became the first RAF squadron to re-equip with the new Handley Page Hampden
bomber. Operational from the outbreak of war, on 3 September six Hampdens from 83 Squadron and three from 49 Squadron (including Learoyd) left Scampton on an 'armed reconnaissance' over the North Sea.
During the next ten months Learoyd participated in 23 more bombing sorties, and was a Flight Lieutenant
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC, gazetted on 20 August 1940.
On 12 August 1940 eleven Hampdens - six from 49 Squadron, five from 83 Squadron - were detailed to destroy the old aqueduct carrying the canal over the river Ems, north of Münster
. Flight Lieutenant Learoyd was one of the pilots briefed to bomb.Learoyd was detailed as pilot of Hampden P4403, "EA-M", and his crew comprised Pilot Officer J Lewis (Observer), Sergeant J Ellis (wireless operator-gunner) and LAG Rich (ventral gunner).
Of the other Hampdens
which made the attack that night, two were destroyed and two more were badly hit. Flight Lieutenant Learoyd took his plane into the target at only 150 feet, in the full glare of the searchlights and flak barrage all round him. After commencing its bombing run Learoyd's aircraft was badly damaged, including a ruptured hydraulic system, resulting in inoperable wing flaps and a useless undercarriage. Wing damage, though serious, had fortunately missed the wing petrol tanks. Despite this damage the bombs were duly dropped and Learoyd managed to get his crippled plane back to England where he decided that a night landing would be too dangerous for his crippled aircraft and so circled base until first light, finally safely landing without causing injury to his crew or further damage to his aircraft.
The Victoria Cross was awarded at an investiture on 9 September 1940, by which time Learoyd had been taken off operations and promoted to Squadron Leader, and was acting temporarily as personal assistant to Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham.
.
After surviving the war Learoyd retired to civilian life, first as a VIP pilot and later as an export sales manager in the motor industry. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
, London.
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Roderick Alastair Brook Learoyd VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(5 February 1913 - 24 January 1996) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Born in FolkestoneFolkestone
Folkestone is the principal town in the Shepway District of Kent, England. Its original site was in a valley in the sea cliffs and it developed through fishing and its closeness to the Continent as a landing place and trading port. The coming of the railways, the building of a ferry port, and its...
in February 1913. Educated at Hydreye House Preparatory School, Baldstow, Sussex, and Wellington College, Berkshire, Learoyd then attended the Chelsea College of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering.
After two years in Argentina as a farmer, Learoyd decided to join the RAF and was accepted in March 1936. Learoyd took a short service commission and was posted to 49 Squadron
No. 49 Squadron RAF
No. 49 Squadron was a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1938 to 1965. They received their first Hampdens in September 1938.They were a famous Hampden squadron; with the only Victoria Cross awarded Rod Learoyd amongst the ones who served on the type....
, Bomber Command equipped with Hawker Hind
Hawker Hind
-See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3....
s at RAF Worthy Down. In March 1938, 49 Squadron moved to Scampton
Scampton
Scampton is a village and civil parish in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. Included in the parish is RAF Scampton. It is north of Lincoln just off the A15...
and became the first RAF squadron to re-equip with the new Handley Page Hampden
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
bomber. Operational from the outbreak of war, on 3 September six Hampdens from 83 Squadron and three from 49 Squadron (including Learoyd) left Scampton on an 'armed reconnaissance' over the North Sea.
During the next ten months Learoyd participated in 23 more bombing sorties, and was a Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC, gazetted on 20 August 1940.
On 12 August 1940 eleven Hampdens - six from 49 Squadron, five from 83 Squadron - were detailed to destroy the old aqueduct carrying the canal over the river Ems, north of Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
. Flight Lieutenant Learoyd was one of the pilots briefed to bomb.Learoyd was detailed as pilot of Hampden P4403, "EA-M", and his crew comprised Pilot Officer J Lewis (Observer), Sergeant J Ellis (wireless operator-gunner) and LAG Rich (ventral gunner).
Of the other Hampdens
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
which made the attack that night, two were destroyed and two more were badly hit. Flight Lieutenant Learoyd took his plane into the target at only 150 feet, in the full glare of the searchlights and flak barrage all round him. After commencing its bombing run Learoyd's aircraft was badly damaged, including a ruptured hydraulic system, resulting in inoperable wing flaps and a useless undercarriage. Wing damage, though serious, had fortunately missed the wing petrol tanks. Despite this damage the bombs were duly dropped and Learoyd managed to get his crippled plane back to England where he decided that a night landing would be too dangerous for his crippled aircraft and so circled base until first light, finally safely landing without causing injury to his crew or further damage to his aircraft.
The Victoria Cross was awarded at an investiture on 9 September 1940, by which time Learoyd had been taken off operations and promoted to Squadron Leader, and was acting temporarily as personal assistant to Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham.
Further information
He later achieved the rank of Wing Commander and served in No. 44 SquadronNo. 44 Squadron RAF
No. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is no longer operational. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.-History:...
.
After surviving the war Learoyd retired to civilian life, first as a VIP pilot and later as an export sales manager in the motor industry. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, London.