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R.A.F. Regiment sniper on the front line.

My father, Peter John Page, fought the enemy in North Africa, Italy, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany during WW2. The following extracts are from the press of the day and document his heroics on the front line. Now, at 82 years of age, he is alive and well, living in the village of Potton, near Sandy, Bedfordshire. I want the world to know of his exploits how he won his 鈥渕entioned in dispatches鈥�, and his pride in displaying the oak leaves on his medal ribbon.

Barry Page, Goderich, Ontario, Canada. September 21, 2005.

R.A.F. Regiment takes a turn in the line.

Highbury Man Does Some Sniping.

For ten days, men of the R.A.F. Regiment, replacing crack infantrymen, recently went into action on both sides of the German frontier, in a sector of the Second Army front line.

Two rifle squadrons of the regiment, bored by in-activity and seeing no chance of early employment, volunteered to do a spell of duty in the front line. The Army authorities welcomed the proposal. The first squadron relieved a unit of a celebrated infantry regiment and began a programme of intensive patrolling and heavy mortaring. Not all the R.A.F. bombs that fell on Germany in the past month were dropped by Bomber Command; five tons of them were sent over in five days by a mortar flight. A pair of volunteer snipers, Corporal Leslie Cartlidge of Stoke-on-Trent, and L.A.C. Peter Page, of 157, Highbury New Park, N.5, wiped out seven of Hitler's front-line fighters.

When the visitors handed over to the home team again both officers and men declared that the spell of front-line duty had been a valuable and pleasant experience. Even in the short time a genuine comradeship had grown up between R.A.F. men and soldier, who had begun to use each other's slang. Now the Army holds the line again and it's doubtful whether the enemy ever realised that for a time he was being "pronged" by the R.A.F. instead of being "stanked" as usual by the Army.

Wiped out seven Nazi fighters.

A 21-year-old Highbury sniper in the R.A.F. Regiment wiped out seven of Hitler's front-line fighters on a spell of duty with his corporal.

L.A.C. Peter Page of Highbury New Park had been "browned-off" with inactivity around his aerodrome in Belgium. Together with half a dozen of his pals in the R.A.F. Regiment, he volunteered to lend a hand to the Army in the front lines.

Peter and his corporal were put in a position immediately on the German frontier. They and the other R.A.F. boys relieved a very famous infantry regiment in a n important sector. They discharged their unfamiliar duties most creditably and were warmly congratulated by the Army officers when they handed over once more to the infantry.

Peter Page has been in the R.A.F. for almost four years. He was originally a cadet for the air crews, but volunteered the R.A.F. Regiment as soon as it was formed.

His 19-year-old Islington-born wife told the "Journal" that Peter had been too modest to tell her of his achievements and had simply said that he had been on a "job" for seven days. His last letter home told her that he was well but tired.

From the local press in Hampshire.

For ten days, men of the R.A.F. Regiment replacing crack infantrymen, went into action on both sides of the German frontier in a sector of the Second Army front line.

The first squadron dropped five tons of bombs on enemy positions, and two volunteer snipers, Peter John Page, 174, West Street, Fareham, and L. Cartlidge, Stoke-on-Trent, wiped out seven of Hitler's front line fighters.

Peter Page has been in the R.A.F. four years and he volunteered for the R.A.F. Regiment when it was formed. He has been "over there" since D-day as a dispatch rider. His wife says he was too modest to mention his escapade, saying only that he had been on a "job." He was an operator at Lee Towers and the Savoy, Fareham, before he joined up. His sister is Marion Crauford, the young Fareham dancer, now with E.N.S.A.

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