ROSEWARNE VAW
Rosewarne, Vivian Allen William Died
Personal Information
| Rank | F/O |
| Forename(s) | Vivian Allen William |
| Surname | Rosewarne |
| Gender | M |
| Age | 24 |
| Date of Death | 30-05-1940 |
| Next of Kin | Only son of Vivian Samuel Rosewarne and Lillian Alice Rosewarne (née Noall) of Wimbledon, London. |
Aircraft Information
| Aircraft | Vickers Wellington IC |
| Serial Number | R3162 |
| Markings | HD-H |
Memorial Information
| Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
| Burial/Memorial Place | Veurne Communal Cemetery extension |
| Grave Reference | B. 1. |
IBCC Memorial Information
| Phase | 2 |
| Panel Number | 235 |
Enlistment Information
| Service Number | 40021 |
| Service | Royal Air Force |
| Group | 3 |
| Squadron | 38 |
| Squadron Motto | Anto Lucem (Before the dawn) |
| Trade | Pilot |
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Miscellaneous Information
| Born March 1916 in Dulwich, London and attended Brentwood School. He had joined the RAF in 1937. In March 1938 he was posted to the School of Air Navigation at RAF Manston. The rank of Pilot Officer was made substantive on the 31st May 1938. He was further promoted to Flying Officer on the 31st December 1939. |
| His station commander, Group Captain Claude H. Keith, found a letter among the missing airman's personal possessions. It had been left open, so that it could be passed by the censor. When he read the letter he was very moved by the content. On passing it to Vivian's mother he asked her if she would permit it to be published anonymously. Lilian Rosewarne agreed. Keith sent the letter to the Times writing: "I sent the letter to the bereaved mother, and asked her whether I might publish it anonymously, as I feel its contents may bring comfort to other mothers, and that everyone in our country may be proud to read of the sentiments which support 'an average airman' in the execution of his present arduous duties." Group Captain Keith told The Times: "This letter was perhaps the most amazing one I have ever read; simple and direct in its wording but splendid and uplifting in its outlook. It was inevitable that I should read it - in fact, he must have intended this, for it was left open in order that I might be certain that no prohibited information was disclosed." The letter was published in the Times in June 1940: |
| Dearest Mother: Though I feel no premonition at all, events are moving rapidly and I have instructed that this letter be forwarded to you should I fail to return from one of the raids that we shall shortly be called upon to undertake. You must hope on for a month, but at the end of that time you must accept the fact that I have handed my task over to the extremely capable hands of my comrades of the Royal Air Force, as so many splendid fellows have already done. First, it will comfort you to know that my role in this war has been of the greatest importance. Our patrols far out over the North Sea have helped to keep the trade routes clear for our convoys and supply ships, and on one occasion our information was instrumental in saving the lives of the men in a crippled lighthouse relief ship. Though it will be difficult for you, you will disappoint me if you do not at least try to accept the facts dispassionately, for I shall have done my duty to the utmost of my ability. No man can do more, and no one calling himself a man could do less. I have always admired your amazing courage in the face of continual setbacks; in the way you have given me as good an education and background as anyone in the country: and always kept up appearances without ever losing faith in the future. My death would not mean that your struggle has been in vain. Far from it. It means that your sacrifice is as great as mine. Those who serve England must expect nothing from her; we debase ourselves if we regard our country as merely a place in which to eat and sleep. History resounds with illustrious names who have given all; yet their sacrifice has resulted in the British Empire where there is a measure of peace, justice and freedom for all, and where a higher standard of civilization has evolved, and is still evolving, than anywhere else. But this is not only concerning our own land. Today we are faced with the greatest organized challenge to Christianity and civilization that the world has ever seen, and I count myself lucky and honoured to be the right age and fully trained to throw my full weight into the scale. For this I have to thank you. Yet there is more work for you to do. The home front will still have to stand united for years after the war is won. For all that can be said against it, I still maintain that this war is a very good thing: every individual is having the chance to give and dare all for his principle like the martyrs of old. However long the time may be, one thing can never be altered – I shall have lived and died an Englishman. Nothing else matters one jot nor can anything ever change it. You must not grieve for me, for if you really believe in religion and all that it entails that would be hypocrisy. I have no fear of death; only a queer elation ... I would have it no other way. The universe is so vast and so ageless that the life of one man can only be justified by the measure of his sacrifice. We are sent to this world to acquire a personality and a character to take with us that can never be taken from us. Those who just eat and sleep, prosper and procreate, are no better than animals if all their lives they are at peace. I firmly believe that evil things are sent into the world to try us; they are sent deliberately by our Creator to test our mettle because He knows what is good for us. The Bible is full of cases where the easy way out has been discarded for moral principles. I count myself fortunate in that I have seen the whole country and known men of every calling. But with the final test of war I consider my character fully developed. Thus at my early age my earthly mission is already fulfilled and I am prepared to die with just one regret: that I could not devote myself to making your declining years more happy by being with you; but you will live in peace and freedom and I shall have directly contributed to that, so here again my life will not have been in vain. Your loving son, |
| There was an immense reaction after publication. In the first few days, The Times was inundated with over ten thousand requests for copies of the letter. It was subsequently published in a small book by The Times Publishing Company Ltd and entitled " An Airman's Letter to his Mother". It was reprinted three times and by the end of 1940 over half a million copies had been sold. In the USA the book was reprinted 12 times. It was even translated into Arabic. The BBC broadcast the letter twice in 1940 and on September 3rd 1940 extracts featured in the BBC Children's Hour. King George VI wrote a personal letter to Mrs Rosewarne. Eventually there were suggestions that the letter was a fictitious propaganda device and this led to Pilot Officer Vivian Rosewarne being identified and his death notice was finally published on the 23rd December 1940. On the 18th September 1941 a portrait of Vivian painted by Frank O. Salisbury, (from his mother's photographs), was unveiled. His mother attended the unveiling but she wished to remain anonymous desiring to be known only as 'the mother of the young unknown warrior'. In a subsequent letter to a fellow officer, which is in The Times archives, Group Captain Keith sketches in more detail about the missing airman: "Although it is especially sad that he should have gone, being the only child of a widowed mother who had stinted herself to give him a good upbringing, one knows that others as good as he have gone and others, also as good, remain." And he adds: "Even His Majesty was at pains to interest himself in this letter, and a letter was sent to the mother." The Group Captain concludes: "Try and find comfort in the thought - the knowledge - that Britain yet has many thousands of clean youngsters who will fight and die for the ideals of our Empire. As I write, our aircraft are off and doing and now comes the anxious time, till dawn, waiting their return - waiting and praying that all may come back safely. I feel the Almighty is on our side, and if we can but stave off disaster - if not win before autumn comes - famine and disease will defeat our enemies. We may well thank God for our island home - now as in days gone by." In 1941 Michael Powell released a short documentary style British propaganda film of the letter featuring the voice of John Gielgud - see www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VXeFost9Dg After the war Mrs Rosewarne visited the crash site. The farmer who owned the field where the bomber crashed told her that the plane circled twice before choosing the field to make a forced landing. The plane unfortunately hit a tree and overturned killing the crew. If the crew had bailed out the plane might have landed on Veurne, killing civilians. Mrs Rosewarne was handed part of the propeller from the plane on which the Germans had written 'This flyer and crew died like heroes'. Today, Vivian Rosewarne's letter continues to inspire and his letter features in the RAF's publication 'Leadership'. His portrait is displayed at Brentwood School and also at the RAF College Cranwell, Lincolnshire. (Source: findagrave.com) |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
| Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/397/14 |
| Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/397/14 |
Fellow Servicemen
Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.
| Name | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Adams J C (AC2) | Died |
| Baynes R (P/O) | Died |
| Dolan J (Sgt) | Died |
| Knight J (Sgt) | Died |
| Spencer D D G (Sgt) | Died |
Last Operation Information
| Start Date | 30-05-1940 |
| End Date | 31-05-1940 |
| Takeoff Station | Marham |
| Day/Night Raid | Night (32% moon) |
| Operation | Seek out and bomb targets around Diksmuide |
| Reason for Aircraft Loss | Crashed at Veurne, near Dunkirk |