He arrived in Germany at the invitation of Helmut Hirth, an aeronautical engineer, who gave Garros a tour of German aircraft factories. While in Berlin, rumors of an impending war reached Roland. Surprised and frightened by these reports, he got into his Bugatti and left Germany with his mechanic Jules Hue.
Upon returning home, he enlisted in the French army as an aviator. As a lieutenant, he was sent to the Western Front, where he served in Escadrille Morane-Saulnier Squadron 23 (MS 23).
