Jim Rosser was born on 18th February 1917 at Risca, Monmouthshire but was brought up in Northamptonshire, being educated at Northampton Grammar School. He then studied architecture and was working towards his final examinations, due to take place in the summer of 1940, when war broke out. He had enlisted in the RAF Volunteer Reserve in October 1938 commencing training at Sywell aerodrome in Northamptonshire. Called up on 1st September 1939, his training continued at Perth and Sealand. On 5th November 1940, he joined 72 Squadron at Biggin Hill as a Sgt/Pilot, where he was later commissioned. He took part in the long-range daylight sweeps over northern France and was a member of the St Omer Four who regularly visited the German fighter base at St Omer and ‘invited the Hun up to play’. His squadron also helped provide fighter cover for the Dieppe raid during which the RAF suffered heavy losses. He was posted to 130 Squadron as a flight commander on 2nd April 1942 and in June was awarded the DFC, the citation crediting him with two destroyed and four damaged. His tour ended on 6th December 1942 and he was seconded to Vickers Armstrong at Castle Bromwich to join the small team of elite pilots led by Alex Henshaw, test flying production Spitfires.

At the end of June 1944 he attended the Fighter Leaders’ School at Milfield, obtaining a distinguished pass. He was then posted to 66 Squadron as a flight commander, operating from airfields in Normandy. On 26th September, flying in support of the operation at Arnhem, his Spitfire was hit by flak and he crash landed in Holland. A village policeman lent him his bicycle and he was led by the policeman’s son to a place of safety. He was hidden by the Dutch Underground, who advised him to wait for the allies rather than try and make his way back. Unfortunately, the Germans discovered he was in the area and began rounding up local men, threatening to shoot one in three unless he gave himself up. On finding this out and against the wishes of the Underground, he did give himself up, to a Waffen SS unit, who were not hospitable. He managed to escape by overpowering and killing a guard and succeeded in returning to the Resistance, who sheltered him until advance units of the British army arrived and he was taken back by tank, arriving in Brussels on 31st October 1944. He returned briefly to 66 Squadron before being posted back to Vickers Armstrong, where on three occasions the Packard-Merlin engines of the Spitfire XVI’s he was testing failed. He was able to make dead-stick landings on each occasion! He remained at Vickers Armstrong until January 1946, when he was demobilised. He joined Jackson Stops & Staff in Northampton as an estate agent until the outbreak of the Korean War, when he rejoined the Air Force as a pilot. Having severed his civilian connections, he was then found to be suffering from high tone deafness (or ‘Merlin ear’) and not permitted to fly. None the less, he elected to remain in the Secretarial Branch and served at Innsworth, Abu Sueir in Egypt, Basra in Iraq, Henlow, Kenley, Wildenrath, Syerston, Stafford and Wittering. Whilst at Basra, one evening he inspected an ammunition train and came upon an Arab armed with a revolver. He tackled the intruder, who managed to get off three shots, one of which hit Jim in the shoulder - before he was able to wrest the gun from his assailant, who then fled. He retired from the Air Force in 1972 and worked for a civil engineering practice in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. On retirement, he and his wife Denise (ex WRAF) decided to move to Lot-et-Garonne where they spent eight happy years. With both their eyesight failing, they moved to Hampshire to share a house with their daughter and her family.

As a young man, Jim Rosser enjoyed boxing, rugby and scouting. In later life he became a very keen gardener but most of all he enjoyed the company of his family. He was a member of the RAF Escaping Society and never forgot the courage and dedication of the Dutch people who helped him in 1944. He often said that they were the bravest of all.

He died peacefully at home on 13th October 2009 and is survived by his wife Denise, two sons, two daughters, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.