Find us on Facebook

Flt/Lt Peter G Brearley D.F.C

Born Blackpool 22/06/1922 in Blackpool. Married Margaret (Carr) 1954-2001 currently living in Thornton Cleveleys. Two children Malcolm and Rosemary, both married with children of their own.

 

Flying Training

Cambridge University Air Squadron was reopened in 1940 for an aircrew only intake for which I was fortunate to be selected. There we did our I.T.W training. Joined the RAF in 1941 from C.U Air Squadron kitted out at St John's Wood, then to 18 E.F.T.S Faoroaks, Woking. On to 5 S.F.T.S, Tern Hill, Salop, wings 1942, followed by 3 school of General Reconnaissance, Coastal Command, Squires Gate and finally 8 P.R.O.T.U, Fraserburgh.


Squadron Service

November 1942 posted to 140 Squadron, Army Co-op Command, later Fighter Command, then Tactical Air Force. At first equipped with P.R Spitfires then P.R Mosquitoes. A Photographic Reconnaissance unit dedicated to the Army Intelligence, making a revising maps for the coming invasion. Beach gradients for troop landings and photo targets relevant to that operation. Also coverage of flying bomb sites to enable No. 2 Group (Boston & Mitchell medium bombers), stationed on the same airfield with us, to carry out bombing raids to minimise the V1 threat. V2s were launched from mobile lorries so we attacked when seen by fighter-bombers.

I was awarded the D.F.C in August 1944, presented by H.M. George VI at Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh: - Citation - 'This Officer has shown great keenness and ability and can always be relied upon to complete his allocated task. He has made a great number of high level photographic sorties, often through most adverse weather, but his results have always been of the highest order.'

Our Squadron started at Mount Farm, near Benson, Oxon, then moved to Hartford Bridge, Hants, re-named Blackbushe, and finally to Northolt after which I left May 1944. The Squadron eventually went to Belgium, our map revision must have been useful!

 

Conversion Instructor

Posted as a flying instructor to 132 O.T.U, RAF East Fortune, East Lothian. We were the vanguard in converting the Beaufighter squadrons operating from RAF Banff on the Mosquito. As Beaufighters were phased out the O.T.U used Mosquitos entirely. The unit moved to RAF Brawdy for three months in 1945 during which time VE-Day came. Our unit then moved back to RAF East Fortune awaiting demob. I had a short spell March to April 1946 at RAF Tain with Coastal Command Instructors School until it closed, after which I was sent back to East Fortune.

I was demobbed in August 1946.

 

Aircraft Types Flown.

• DH82a (Tiger Moth)

• Master I & III

• Hurricane I

• Westland Lysander
• Spitfire * Marks I to PRXI, Mustang Ia
• Auster

• Piper Cub

• Percival Proctor

• Moth Minor

• Airspeed Oxford

• Avro Anson
• DH Mosquito * Marks II to PRXVI

• Martinet

* Denotes flown operationally

RAF Aerodromes Visited

Andover, Benson, Bircham Newton, Booker, Boscombe Down, Bovington, Brawdy*, Calverley*, Cambridge, Catfoss, Chalgrove, Charmy Down, Chetwyn, Cliffe Pypard*, Cowley, Drem, Dyce, Earles, Colne, East Fortune*, Farnborough, Faoroaks*, Fraserburgh*, Gatwick, Halfpenny Green, Harrowbeer, Hartford Bridge*, Hatwell, Hatfieeld, High Ercall, Hornchurch, Hucknell, Hullavington, Kinloss*, Lindholme, Litchfield, Little Rissington, Lossimouth, Ludham, Methwold, Mount Farm*, Netheravon, Northolt*, North Weald, Old Sarum, Odiham, Portsmouth, Redhill, St Eval, St Davids, Shoreham, Silloth, Squires Gate*, Tain*, Tangmere, Tern Hill*, Thorney Island, Thruxton, Turnhouse, Warton, West Freugh, Woodley, Withy Bush, Yatesbury.

* Indicates airfields, at which I was stationed.

Operational Navigator:

F/O Leslie Preston GM. His award was for rescuing his pilot, F/Lt Les Gilbert, from a burning Mosquito after he crashed during a bad landing on a training flight at Blackbushe. He had another crash previously into the wood at the end of the runway when he was unhurt but shaken. His flying boot was found later to have a piece of wood right through it. Myself and Leslie had a reasonable short operational tour together, 5 ops. The only blot I can remember was on one flight when his oxygen pipe became detached over France when he was in the bomb aiming position. Once connected again we carried on with our mission successfully.