Flight Sgt Peter Brown
 

Flight Sergeant Peter Brown died aged 96 in Maida Vale, West London, on December 17.

His funeral was set to be held on March 29 at Mortlake Crematorium. However, it is now being moved to a bigger venue after a successful search for mourners launched by Westminster Council, the RAF and historians.

Mr Brown left Jamaica to join the RAF in 1943, serving on Lancasters in 625 Squadron.

Typically, the 140-space capacity at Mortlake chapel would have provided room for a fitting send off.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/lond...-b1069922.html

Believed to be last of that generation from the Caribbean in WW2. RIP Flight :(

Funeral confirmed for St Clement Danes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65200224

My father's best friend at the time I was born in 1953 was Johnny Blair who also was from Jamaica and served in WW2 and post war, like my father. Both were navigators. He became my god father although I don't recall ever meeting him. He's mentioned in this book on Caribbean volunteers:


And here is his particular story as he recalled it:

https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.u ... ment/17279

This was taken in September 1953 in Holland with my mother's Dutch family. JB top right, my father kneeling in front of him with my mother and me.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....451311eab6.jpg

Bloody good show on the part of ACM Sir Mike Wigston taking the time to pay his respects: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-65697939

I am mystified by how, if this gentleman flew operationally, he had no operational medals (France and Germany Star). I’m also annoyed at the media coverage - Channel 4 have just called him (several times) ‘field sergeant’, and he was not a pilot. Typically, members of the Caribbean community have trotted out the usual ‘they were ignored/forgotten/given nothing’ whines. I wonder if, had he not been from that community, we would have seen a full funeral at St Clement Danes, CAS in attendance, media coverage…

I agree, the Channel 4 coverage was awful, incorrect and also imbalanced. However, whilst this was FS Brown’s funeral, it was also a celebration of the last of the many from the Caribbean that came to fly and fight over Europe - that was why his funeral was big. The same went for Harry Patch (the last fighting Tommy of WW1) when he sadly passed, the last of a particular generation tend to get a good send off in recognition of their peers.

I believe that you had to apply for the medals too? Many did not know this, certainly the many that settled in the London area having been put up in the Clapham Common Bunker from the Windrush return. That may be why he is missing them.

Lest we forget Flight Sergeant Peter Brown and the rest of his Caribbean colleagues who came to serve in world war 2 for the RAF.

The real truth about FS Peter Brown is here: https://www.caribbeanaircrew-ww2.com...316_113047.pdf

The reason why he doesn’t have the stars is because he only finished 1668 HCU for his Lancaster training in May 1945 and he was posted to 625 Sqn Lancasters on 13 May 45. That is 5 days after VE Day but several months before VJ Day. He flew Op DODGE missions bringing back the 8th Army from the Med and also Post Mortem flights. The latter being highly secretive flights against the German Air Defences to test the effectiveness of our countermeasures. So he got the 1939-1945 War Medal and the Defence Medal as seen on this brave soul’s coffin:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a102067c0.jpeg

It is a shame that they did not add a Wireless Op/Air’s “Air Signaller Flying Badge” to his coffin too. The medals and the badge would have been his most prized of possessions for sure.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....ff9e28d6c.jpeg


Rest easy Flight