Alan Peart

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Alan Peart
Second World War
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross

Alan McGregor Peart,

Second World War. He served in Europe with No. 610 Squadron, and with No. 81 Squadron
in North Africa, Malta, Sicily, Italy and the Far East. He is credited with the destruction of six enemy aircraft, plus a share in another aircraft destroyed. He is also notable for having shot down aircraft from all three main Axis powers—Germany, Italy and Japan.

Early life

Alan McGregor Peart was born in

Territorial Force, as a private in the Hauraki Battalion.[3]

Second World War

Peart joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in May 1941.[4] According to his memoirs, he was selected to be trained as a bomber pilot but protested to the commander of the flying school. He successfully advocated that he be sent for training as a fighter pilot instead.[5] After completing his training, he was sent to England to serve with the Royal Air Force.[4] He received further flight training at Hullavington and then proceeded to No. 55 Operational Training Unit at Annan in Scotland, learning to operate the Hawker Hurricane fighter.[6]

In June 1942, Peart was posted to

Squadron Leader Johnnie Johnson, the squadron operated the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. He was involved in numerous sorties to continental Europe, including providing aerial cover for the Dieppe Raid in August, until November when he was transferred to No. 81 Squadron, at the time based in Algeria and operating Spitfire Vbs from Maison Blanche, near Algiers.[4][7]

Mediterranean

On 1 December, Peart destroyed an Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 bomber over Bone Harbour and damaged another. On 31 December he damaged a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter while flying the personal aircraft of Wing Commander Petrus Hugo. The following year, the squadron's Spitfire Vbs were replaced by the superior Spitfire IX. By this time Peart had been commissioned and was now a pilot officer. On 23 April 1943, he damaged a Bf 109 and two days later destroyed another near Medjez-el-Bab. Soon afterwards, the squadron shifted to the island of Malta and began flying operations to Sicily and Italy as the Italian campaign commenced. Some of the squadron's Spitfires had to be exchanged with the older Spitfire Vcs.[4][8]

During the invasion of Sicily on 10 July, No. 81 Squadron helped protect the landings.[8] While on patrol on 16 July, No. 81 Squadron encountered a dozen Bf 109s; Peart damaged one of them, when flying one of the older Spitfire Vcs. A few days later, the squadron began operating from Sicily itself.[8][9] While escorting Douglas Boston bombers over the Gulf of Saint Euphemia on 28 August, Peart, back in a Spitfire IX, was among eight Spitfires that fended off an attack by a group of Bf 109s, destroying one of them in the process.[4][10] On 13 September, when leading a flight of six Spitfires, he helped two other pilots destroy one of three Dornier Do 217 bombers attacking Allied shipping near the beachhead at Salerno. Afterwards he had to land at Salerno due to an overheating engine. He caught a ride back on a Douglas C47 transport back to his airfield.[11]

Burma

In November 1943, No. 81 Squadron was transferred to India, re-equipped with Spitfire VIIIs. It arrived at the front, at

Nakajima Ki-43 fighters, known as Oscars.[4] In March 1944, Peart was one of six pilots sent with their aircraft to an airstrip, named Broadway, in the jungle to support the operations of the Chindits. The following day, 30 Japanese Oscar fighters attacked the airstrip but forewarned, the Spitfires were already airborne and able to shoot down four of the enemy aircraft plus damaged others. Three days later, on 16 March, the Spitfires intercepted a group of Oscars, with Peart destroying one and damaging another. Poor weather later in the day saw the Spitfires fly to Imphal, returning the next day. On landing, they were surprised by several enemy fighters. Four of the six Spitfires were destroyed on the ground and a pilot killed but Peart and his squadron commander took off in time and shot one Oscar. Peart's commander was shot down, leaving the New Zealander to fight a solo dogfight against the remaining Japanese. Later, it was decided to abandon the airstrip and provide support for the Chindits from Kangala instead.[13]

The Japanese advance caused No. 81 Squadron to withdraw from Imphal and commence operations from

London Gazette, No. 36542, 2 June 1944.[15]

Soon after being awarded the DFC, Peart completed his course and returned to No. 81 Squadron as a qualified instructor. However in August, just over a month after his return, the squadron was withdrawn to

Ceylon for a rest. Peart was posted to India where he took command of a fighter conversion and tactical flight, based at Poona. Due to illness, he was repatriated back to New Zealand in February 1945. On recovering his health, he briefly served as an instructor and was discharged from the RNZAF later that year with the rank of flight lieutenant.[1][16][17] He ended the war credited with the destruction of six enemy aircraft, a share in a seventh destroyed and nine damaged.[4]

Later life

Returning to civilian life Peart gained a degree in engineering from the University of New Zealand in 1949.[4] He then worked as a civil engineer for the Ministry of Works. Among the projects he worked on were the construction of the Maraetai Power Station and the Auckland International Airport. He retired in 1982.[1] He was involved in veteran's affair, being the president of the Burma Star Veterans association for a time.[18] In his later years, he wrote a book on his wartime experiences, which was titled From North Africa to the Arakan and published in 2008.[17] He was featured in a documentary film, released in 2018, about the Spitfire. He died on 5 September 2018.[1]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Nyika, Ruby (15 September 2018). "Obituary: Alan McGregor Peart, Spitfire ace and civil engineer". Waikato Times. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Fighter Pilot Decorated". Press. No. 24278. 8 June 1944. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  3. ^ HC, Tauranga City Libraries Staff-. "Alan Peart recalls early War years c. 1940". tauranga.kete.net.nz. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Shores & Williams 1994, p. 490.
  5. ^ Peart 2008, pp. 13–20.
  6. ^ Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 28.
  7. ^ Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 29.
  8. ^ a b c Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 30.
  9. ^ Cull, Malizia & Galea 2000, p. 165.
  10. ^ Cull, Malizia & Galea 2000, p. 200.
  11. ^ a b Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 32.
  12. ^ Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 33.
  13. ^ Thompson 1959, p. 345.
  14. ^ Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 35.
  15. ^ "No. 36542". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1944. p. 2534.
  16. ^ Laird & Mackenzie 1997, p. 36.
  17. ^ a b McRae, Andrew (6 September 2018). "World War II Flying Ace Alan Peart Dies". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Burma veterans to end reunions". New Zealand Herald. 10 August 2004. Retrieved 3 December 2020.

References

External links
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