Date of birth:

March 11th, 1916 (Soerabaja, Dutch East Indies)

Date of death:

1989

Service number:

118741

Nationality:

Dutch (1815-present, Kingdom)

With No. 502 Squadron, August van Rossum flew with a Handley Page Halifax bomber.
During a patrol over the Atlantic Ocean in the fall of 1943, three German U-boats were discovered. During the attack, Lieutenant van Rossum was able to place a near miss on one of the boats. An other one was sunk by a direct hit. For this he received high decorations.
Later van Rossum became the head of the Dutch Public Service with the Air Force and was occupied with public affairs concerning military aviation.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Reserve-Eerste Luitenant Vlieger (1st Lieutenant (Reserve))

Unit:

No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

January 6th, 1944

Recommendation:
For having displayed, as pilot of Our Military Air Force, serving as Commanding Officer, initially with 320 Squadron RDNAS of our Naval Air Service and subsequently with Coastal Command of the RAF in the United Kingdom over a period of approximately twenty months, courage, perseverance, skill and tenacity on many long daylight and nighttime operational missions, having driven off enemy vessels and aircraft and having sunk an enemy submarine.

128th Award.
Royal Decree No. 8, dated 6th January 1944.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flying Officer

Unit:

No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

January 24th, 1944

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

American Embassy in London, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Government

Awarded on:

April 4th, 1946

... the greatest help and cooperation in dealing with this office, not only in military matters, but also in advance political information. His helpful suggestions and wide contacts, within Netherlands Air Force circles, and also with the British Air Ministry, furnished this office with background on general British-Dutch policy with regard to future intentions in European and East Indian military and civil air matters. (...)

General Orders No. 28 (28 March 1946)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

With bars 'OORLOGSVLUCHTEN 1940-1945' and 'NEDERLAND MEI 1940'.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

XX

• Photo 1: Museum 't Schilderhuis
• - MEIJER, H.G. & VIS, R., Het Vliegerkruis, De Bataafsche Leeuw, Amsterdam, 1997.
  - Meijer H.G., Vis R., Het Vliegerkruis, Voor initiatief, moed en volharding, De Bataafsche Leeuw, Amsterdam, 1997, ISBN 9067073474
  - Nederlandse Onderscheidingen
  - Museum 't Schildershuis
  - Vlucht door de tijd, 75 jaar Nederlandse Lachtmacht, page 108
  - Trouw - Krantenarchief 2004