airborne_artist
3rd Jan 2006, 10:55
Air Vice-Marshal Peter Furniss, who has died aged 86, commanded a Spitfire squadron during the Italian and Balkan campaigns before embarking on a career in the legal branch of the RAF that culminated in his becoming its director.
After three years' service with the Army, Furniss was seconded to the RAF and trained as a tactical-reconnaissance pilot.
In March 1943 he arrived in Tunisia to fly Hurricanes with No 241 Squadron at a time when the German forces were putting up fierce resistance as they retreated towards Tunis.
He flew low-level reconnaissance and bombing operations in support of the advancing 1st Army against enemy airfields and transport until the Germans were finally beaten in North Africa. He then transferred to Spitfires with No 154 Squadron based on Malta, and he was on a beachhead patrol during the invasion of Sicily.
Shortly after Furniss moved to an airstrip on the island, a German fighter attacked his Spitfire and he was wounded in the shoulder - but he landed his badly damaged aircraft safely.
Furniss flew patrols during the landings on the Italian mainland, and on September 9 he shot down a Focke Wulf 190 over Salerno. He later shared in the destruction of a Dornier 217 bomber.
As German fighter opposition in Italy reduced, No 154 switched to attacking road and rail transport with bombs and cannon. Furniss was credited with inflicting considerable damage on the enemy's convoys.
During this period, the eminent aviation war artist, Frank Wootton, captured Furniss leading a Spitfire escort for USAAF B-25 bombers. The original painting, Top Cover, was unveiled by the Queen in April 1990.
After a period of rest in Palestine, No 154 moved to Corsica in April 1944 to provide bomber escorts and to prepare for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the south of France, by attacking coastal radar sites.
After the successful landings, No 154 moved to France, based at Fréjus, to give support to the ground forces as they advanced north.
In September 1944 Furniss was awarded a DFC.
In October 1944 he left for Sofia, Bulgaria, to act as a liaison officer. Six months later he joined No 253 Squadron as a flight commander, flying Spitfire bombers based on the east coast of Italy. The squadron flew intensive operations in support of partisan forces; in April it moved to Prkos airfield on the Yugoslav mainland, conducting intensive attacks against the evacuating enemy.
Two weeks later Furniss was appointed commanding officer of No 73 Squadron, and flew on operations until the Germans capitulated in Yugoslavia.
Peter Furniss, the youngest of nine children of a solicitor, was born on July 16 1919 at West Kirby, Merseyside. After Sedbergh, where he excelled at sport, he was articled to a firm of solicitors in Liverpool and in 1938 he joined the Liverpool Scottish (TA) Regiment.
In 1939 he was commissioned into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and in early 1942 started his pilot training with the RAF.
Furniss remained in command of No 73 until early 1946, when he left the RAF to resume his law studies, being admitted to the Law Society in October 1948. For two years he practised at the County and Police courts at Weymouth before rejoining the RAF as a flight lieutenant in the legal branch.
In February 1951 he arrived in Egypt on the legal staff of the HQ Middle East Air Force. It was a particularly difficult time, with tension rising in the Suez Canal Zone, discontent in Iraq and the onset of the Mau Mau campaign in Kenya.
By late 1954 Furniss was serving at the HQ of Second Tactical Air Force in Germany. This coincided with the development of new RAF airfields west of the Rhine, creating the need for close liaison with the German civil and military authorities on land issues.
After a two-year tour in Aden from July 1961, a period which included the Kuwait crises and tribal problems in Oman, Furniss spent time in London before returning to Germany, where he was the head of the RAF legal staff.
In March 1969 he left for Singapore, and over the next two years negotiated the legal issues of the RAF's withdrawal from the area and the creation of an RAF legal service in Hong Kong.
A man who inspired great confidence and loyalty in those who worked for him, he is still remembered for his comment: "Any rockets from London have usually fizzled out by the time they get to Singapore. Leave me to deal with them."
During his numerous tours of duty overseas, he was responsible primarily for advising the Command staffs on legal matters, but he also had the important responsibility of providing a legal service and advice for the many servicemen and their families.
Much of Furniss's time during his four periods at the Air Ministry, and later at the Ministry of Defence, was taken up on court martial activities, in particular acting as a prosecutor.
After serving for four years as the Deputy Director of RAF Legal Services, Furniss was promoted to air vice-marshal and appointed as the Director in December 1978. One of his first tasks was to negotiate new terms of service for officers serving in the legal branch.
An officer serving on his staff at the time described him as "an officer of the old school and an inspiring leader. None of us ever wanted to let him down."
After three years' service with the Army, Furniss was seconded to the RAF and trained as a tactical-reconnaissance pilot.
In March 1943 he arrived in Tunisia to fly Hurricanes with No 241 Squadron at a time when the German forces were putting up fierce resistance as they retreated towards Tunis.
He flew low-level reconnaissance and bombing operations in support of the advancing 1st Army against enemy airfields and transport until the Germans were finally beaten in North Africa. He then transferred to Spitfires with No 154 Squadron based on Malta, and he was on a beachhead patrol during the invasion of Sicily.
Shortly after Furniss moved to an airstrip on the island, a German fighter attacked his Spitfire and he was wounded in the shoulder - but he landed his badly damaged aircraft safely.
Furniss flew patrols during the landings on the Italian mainland, and on September 9 he shot down a Focke Wulf 190 over Salerno. He later shared in the destruction of a Dornier 217 bomber.
As German fighter opposition in Italy reduced, No 154 switched to attacking road and rail transport with bombs and cannon. Furniss was credited with inflicting considerable damage on the enemy's convoys.
During this period, the eminent aviation war artist, Frank Wootton, captured Furniss leading a Spitfire escort for USAAF B-25 bombers. The original painting, Top Cover, was unveiled by the Queen in April 1990.
After a period of rest in Palestine, No 154 moved to Corsica in April 1944 to provide bomber escorts and to prepare for Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the south of France, by attacking coastal radar sites.
After the successful landings, No 154 moved to France, based at Fréjus, to give support to the ground forces as they advanced north.
In September 1944 Furniss was awarded a DFC.
In October 1944 he left for Sofia, Bulgaria, to act as a liaison officer. Six months later he joined No 253 Squadron as a flight commander, flying Spitfire bombers based on the east coast of Italy. The squadron flew intensive operations in support of partisan forces; in April it moved to Prkos airfield on the Yugoslav mainland, conducting intensive attacks against the evacuating enemy.
Two weeks later Furniss was appointed commanding officer of No 73 Squadron, and flew on operations until the Germans capitulated in Yugoslavia.
Peter Furniss, the youngest of nine children of a solicitor, was born on July 16 1919 at West Kirby, Merseyside. After Sedbergh, where he excelled at sport, he was articled to a firm of solicitors in Liverpool and in 1938 he joined the Liverpool Scottish (TA) Regiment.
In 1939 he was commissioned into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, and in early 1942 started his pilot training with the RAF.
Furniss remained in command of No 73 until early 1946, when he left the RAF to resume his law studies, being admitted to the Law Society in October 1948. For two years he practised at the County and Police courts at Weymouth before rejoining the RAF as a flight lieutenant in the legal branch.
In February 1951 he arrived in Egypt on the legal staff of the HQ Middle East Air Force. It was a particularly difficult time, with tension rising in the Suez Canal Zone, discontent in Iraq and the onset of the Mau Mau campaign in Kenya.
By late 1954 Furniss was serving at the HQ of Second Tactical Air Force in Germany. This coincided with the development of new RAF airfields west of the Rhine, creating the need for close liaison with the German civil and military authorities on land issues.
After a two-year tour in Aden from July 1961, a period which included the Kuwait crises and tribal problems in Oman, Furniss spent time in London before returning to Germany, where he was the head of the RAF legal staff.
In March 1969 he left for Singapore, and over the next two years negotiated the legal issues of the RAF's withdrawal from the area and the creation of an RAF legal service in Hong Kong.
A man who inspired great confidence and loyalty in those who worked for him, he is still remembered for his comment: "Any rockets from London have usually fizzled out by the time they get to Singapore. Leave me to deal with them."
During his numerous tours of duty overseas, he was responsible primarily for advising the Command staffs on legal matters, but he also had the important responsibility of providing a legal service and advice for the many servicemen and their families.
Much of Furniss's time during his four periods at the Air Ministry, and later at the Ministry of Defence, was taken up on court martial activities, in particular acting as a prosecutor.
After serving for four years as the Deputy Director of RAF Legal Services, Furniss was promoted to air vice-marshal and appointed as the Director in December 1978. One of his first tasks was to negotiate new terms of service for officers serving in the legal branch.
An officer serving on his staff at the time described him as "an officer of the old school and an inspiring leader. None of us ever wanted to let him down."