大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Stephanie Stasiuk from WM CSV Action Desk on behalf of Dr Frank Thomas Pearce and has been added to the site with his permission. Dr Frank Thomas Pearce fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

Frank Pearce looks back on an eventful overseas tour of duty with the RAF in the Middle East, North Africa and Italy during World War II. His first posting was to Iraq with 24 Wireless Unit, signals detachment sent to the region as part of a taskforce charged with protecting a vital oil pipeline from enemy attack. His unit was then posted to northern Persia (Iran), again as part of a force protecting vital oil reserves from a possible enemy attack. But soon he was on the move again 鈥� to the Western Desert to join the 8th Army.
After a spell at Western Desert HQ, Frank was posted yet again, this time to join 239 Wing of the Desert Air Force, a unit he was to remain with for the rest of the war鈥he largest wing in the Allied Forces, and No.239 was primarily equipped with Curtis Kittihawks, augmented later with P-51 Mustangs. Its squadrons were a mix of British, South African and Australian airmen- No. 3 and 450 squadrons RAAF, No. 5 squadron SAAF and No. 112, 250 and 260 squadrons RAF.
Two invasions followed almost immediately after Frank joined the Wing; the first being the 鈥楽icilian Slaughter鈥� and the second the Allied push to Italy. Supporting the 8th Army, the Wing moved slowly north up the Italian peninsula and on its way was involved in the Salerno landings, came under American 鈥榝riendly fire鈥�, bombed the Pescara Dam with resounding success, was involved in attacks on Cassino, entered Rome two days before the Normandy landings took place, detached squadrons to assist with the Southern France landings, and strafed and bombed various northern Italian towns, including the famous 鈥淏owler Hat鈥� operation to Venice harbour.
Sadly, many of Frank鈥檚 colleagues would never return from Italy and it is to the memory of these brave men Frank dedicates his book 鈥� those so-called 鈥淒-Day Dodgers鈥� who, in fact, fought and won one of the toughest campaigns of the war.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.