Early Life :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

21 March - 4 July 1918. The Battles of the Somme in 1918 were mostly concerned with stemming the German advance which started in March 1918 and which made considerable gains in the Somme/Arras sector. Utilising surplus troops which had become available following the surrender of Russia after the October Revolution, the Germans gambled on a massive campaign that could win the war in the west before the USA could bring its resources to bear. Initial gains were in places spectacular but eventually dogged resistance coupled with supply problems and sheer exhaustion closed down the battle. Other attacks were launched along the front to probe the Allied defences but the same pattern of initial gains followed by stalemate prevailed. British casualties were almost 345,000.

Detail :

Killed in Action with Lieutenant Frederick Williams in Bristol F2b C4862. (David Barnes)

From December 1914 until March 1917 he was a member of the University Officer Training Corps, and it is though part of which he may have served as 37058 in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He received his commission shown in the London Gazette as 8 March 1917 to the Royal Flying Corps. His RFC records shows that he was absent from duty between 4 and 15 December 1917 due to eczema on his face, arms and trunk.

On recovery he moved as 2nd Lieutenant, and Observer to 22 Squadron, and it must be remembered that in the early aircraft it was the observer who was issued with the gun to engage the enemy. His squadron was operating out of the Vert Gallant aerodrome approximately 12 miles north of the French town of Amiens.

This aircraft, Bristol F2B (F.III), Serial No. B 1162, was flown by Sgt. Ernest J. Elton and Lt. Roland Critchley while serving with RFC No. 22 Squadron in March 1918. The red wheel covers and the white "F" on the fuselage indicate that this aircraft belonged to No. 22 Squadron's "A" Flight. The aircraft is depicted as it looked after the squadron markings were removed by order of March 22, 1918, 10 days before Roland lost his life. Elton, the most successful non-commissioned fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, and scored at least 14 (of his total 16) victories in this aircraft during March 1918, 7 of these while teamed with Roland Critchley as his observer.

Since 16 March 1918 Roland had had seven victories flying in this aircraft as an observer for Sgt Ernest John Elton, shooting down two Albatross D.V. above Carvin on 16 March, and another at the same place two days later. On the 26 March he shot down a Pfalz D.III east of Albert, but their most successful day came on 29 March when they destroyed three aircraft in a space of ten minutes, the first at 15.30 p.m. at Rosieres, another five minutes later at Lihons, and the third at 15.40 at Vauvillers.

Roland lost his life on Tuesday 2nd April, 1918, aged 23 years, flying south of the French town of Albert. It is believed that he was killed in action with Lieut Frederick Williams in Bristol F2b C4862. They were reported missing after their plane, which had been involved in combat, was seen going down in flames in the area south of Albert, France. This was the following day of the formation of the Royal Air Force, which took place on 1 April 1018 with the Royal Flying Corps of the Army amalgamated with the Royal Naval Air Service.

Roland was never found and identified, and he is commemorated on the Flying Services Memorial, at Faubourg-d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France. This names over a thousand airmen of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps, and Royal Air Force, who were killed on the Western Front, and who have no known resting place.

An archive colourised photograph exists which was taken the day previous to the death of Roland Critchley. It shows British and Canadian Observers and Pilots of No. 22 Squadron RFC with a Bristol F2b at Vert Galant aerodrome, which was situated about 12 miles north of Amiens on 1st of April 1918, the formation of the Royal Air Force. Each of them had brought down at least three German aircraft. (As far as we can tell, all but two of these men survived the war.) The portrait image is part of that photograph.

Roland is further commemorated at the Park Road Methodist Church, Chorley (with his brother Charles), Parklands High School, Chorley (formerly Chorley Municipal Secondary School), Chorley War Memorial, Lytham Cenotaph and the The University of Manchester Memorial.

Masonic :

Roland Critchley was initiated into Ellesmere Lodge No. 730 at Chorley on 13th December, 1916 his address given as 25 Park Road, Chorley, a 22 year old Dental Surgeon. He was passed to the degree of a fellow-craft on 7 January 1917 and raised as a Master Mason on 14 February 1917 with his Grand Lodge certificate issued on 4 February 1920, presumably to a family member. His father and brother, both named Charles were already members of the Lodge. He is recorded with War Service [w.s.] and the final comment is that he "Died on Active Service" in the 1919 column.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley
• Researcher : Geoff Cuthill