MHP re Peter Brett
Interesting coincidence, as Peter Brett on 183 Sqdn also flew as wingman to Stuart Lovell, Tony Lovell's lesser-known older brother. In fact he was in his section on Lovell's last flight, who was lost while beating up Guipavas twice on the same operation - strictly against the rules, but that was Stu Lovell for you. Always a press-on spirit, said Poppa Ambrose much later (he was also short-sighted, and had optically-ground goggles).
On the Guipavas occasion - 29 January 1944 - Peter Brett was actually flying no.3; being tasked with looking out for ground targets, he did not see Lovell go right over the flak, take a chunk out of the roof of a wooden hangar, and come down on the dry fuel compound. His wingman Smith came down beyond the airfield. Until then it had been a good day for Peter Brett, for 183 had paid a quick visit to Morlaix, and he wrote in his logbook "Bags of joy. Shot up train, buildings and gunposts".
Peter Brett thought that Lovell had been a considerate flight commander, and this showed in the way he always allowed time and space for his formation to follow him when making turns in finger-four configuration. When he himself became a flight commander he tried to emulate Stu Lovell's methods.
I expect in his recorded interviews he mentioned the fact that when 183 Sqdn was at Predannack he used to draw cartoons in yellow paint on the back of peoples' Irving jackets in the mess at the Mullion Hotel..
Giglamps
Last edited by Giglamps; 11th Mar 2013 at 01:27.
Reason: Corrected title