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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art World War Two Veteran Signatures UK and Commonwealth Surname A  Arkell, Peter |
[UP] - Adam, Ken - Ainley, Phil - Aitken, John - Aldridge, Arthur - Allen, Mike - Anderson, Bill - Anderson, Donald - Appleford, Alexander - Arkell, Peter - Armitage, Dennis - Arndell, Idris - Arrighi, Ted - Atkins, Eric - Atkinson, Sir John - Austin, F H P - Austin, Tom - Auton, Jim - Avey, Charles - Ayerst, Peter |
Flight Lieutenant Peter Arkell
For his first tour Peter flew Mustangs and Spitfires with 26 Squadron on intruder and low lever photographic sorties over France, before joining 161 Squadron as Tempsford in 1944, flying Lysanders into occupied Europe. He then accompanied the Lysanders to Burma where he flew 35 successful but hazardous missions supplying Force 136 behind the Japanese lines. He was awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 1997 for his work as chairman of the Anglo-American community relations committee at RAF Fairford. Peter Arkell passed away on 27th August 2010.
| Flight Lieutenant Peter Arkell - Signed Aviation Art |
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| Text for the above items : |
Loire Rendezvous by Philip West. Lysanders of 161 Special Operations Squadron turn onto their final course to a clandestine landing field somewhere in central occupied France during a full moon period in 1943. Based at Tempsford, Bedfordshire and often operating from Tangmere to shorten the flight, the pilots flew a dead reckoning course to their first turning point, usually on the River Loire, using rudimentary navigating equipment. The moonlit town of Blois is easily distinguishable by its chateau, churches and bridge with the Forest of Chambord beyond. The agents in the rear cockpit prepare themselves by torchlight for the forthcoming landing. |
Moonlight by Gerald Coulson. Flying secret agents in and out of occupied France, transporting arms and radio equipment to the Resistance, and collecting downed airmen from behind enemy lines, was one of the most hazardous flying operations of World War II. These cloak and dagger sorties, always conducted at night by the light of the moon, required a cool head and inordinate flying and navigational skills - a duty performed courageously by the pilots of RAF Special Duty Squadrons. Due to their clandestine nature, the true magnitude of their operations only became fully appreciated when the war was over. |
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