Flying Officer Roulston, 587 Squadron

Portrait of Flying Officer (FO) Alexander Sommerville Roulston, 587 Squadron RAF. Born in Summer Hill, NSW, Roulston enlisted in the RAAF on 7 December 1941. He underwent training at No. 10 Elementary Flying Training School at Temora, NSW, before transferring to the No. 5 Service Flying Training School at Uranquinty in September 1942. On 14 January 1943 he received his pilot's wings, and the following month he embarked for England to take part in Commonwealth operations in the United Kingdom. In December 1943 he joined the newly formed 587 Squadron RAF, which performed anti-aircraft co-operation duties in south-west England and South Wales. On 11 May 1944, whilst flying solo in an Army Co-operation exercise, he was killed in an accident. He was flying in dive attacks against an anti-aircraft battery, whose job was to sight their guns on his aircraft as it flew over them. FO Roulston had dived several times on the guns and was climbing away again when his engine was heard to stop. The aircraft dived into the ground, killing him instantly. He was aged 31. FO Roulston was buried in the RAF Haycome Cemetery, Bath, on 16 May 1944.