On returning to England he found himself sidelined, unable to get posted to an operational squadron. An unlikely avenue was with the elite Pathfinder Force of Bomber Command's most experienced and best pilots, whose job it was to guide the Bomber stream of the RAF night bombers through all weathers to their targets in Germany. While lamenting his situation with girlfriend Midge Cooper at a public house, 'Hamish' Mahaddie happened by. Mahaddie was a wing commander with the Pathfinders, who frequented the public houses after giving talks on Pathfinder techniques to see if he could recruit any pilots for his force. "Here's just the man we need!" said Cooper. Though hesitant to take on an inexperienced pilot, Mahaddie granted Roelfzema a spot at RAF Warboys, where the group trained pilots on twin-engine aircraft and night flying in preparation to work in the PFF. To obtain a position in the squadron, Roelfzema needed to score an "above average" in the training course, which he did. Thus the near-sighted novice fighter pilot was posted to the elite PFF, flying the De Havilland Mosquito.