An introduction to John Peters:
As part of activity to mark the thirtieth anniversary of Operation Desert Storm/Op GRANBY we are featuring the experiences of RAF Association Ambassador John Peters.
John Peters will be known to many of you as the RAF pilot who was shot down over Iraqi territory along with his navigator John Nichol during Operation Desert Storm. The pair were brutally tortured and paraded on Iraqi television, clearly showing the signs of their ordeal.
That was when John came to the public’s attention, but how did he get there?
John’s desire to fly started in earnest when he joined the Combined Cadet Force (RAF) at his school. He was in his element and rose through the ranks to become the senior Cadet Officer of all three service cadet forces. By 17 he held a Private Pilot’s Licence, a Gliding Licence and had secured a University Cadetship from the RAF.
While studying building technology at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, he continued to pursue his passion for flying, spending as many weekends as possible with the Manchester & Salford University Air Squadron. John could often be found flying upside down doing aerobatics above the English countryside in a Bulldog aircraft.
After graduating, John attended RAF Cranwell, completing Initial Officer Training and flying training to receive his wings. Following postings to RAF Chivenor and Lossiemouth, and a short period as an Instructor Pilot at the Air Navigation School at RAF Finningley, he arrived at RAF Laarbruch in 1988. He had achieved his dream. He was a pilot of the Tornado GR1 Bomber on XV Tornado Strike/Attack Squadron.
On 2 August 1990 Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces invaded the oil rich sovereign state of Kuwait. By 17 January 1991, the United Nations’s call for a full withdrawal had not been met. Operation Desert Storm began. XV Squadron played a major role in the initial assault. It was while carrying out a dangerous, low-level, daylight raid on Al Rumaylah South West airbase, that John’s Tornado was hit by both a surface to air missile and anti-aircraft bullets, forcing him and his navigator, John Nichol, to eject over enemy territory. Shortly after safely parachuting to the ground, the two men were captured by Saddam Hussein’s forces.
We will be sharing more of John’s story over the coming weeks. Watch this short video to hear the start of John’s story in his own words.JTNDcCUyMGFsaWduJTNEJTIyY2VudGVyJTIyJTNFJTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGVjRVdTVvSV9raFklMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGNsaXBib2FyZC13cml0ZSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==
In the video below John talks about the terrifying moment he and John Nichol were captured by around 20 gun-wielding Iraqi soldiers:
JTNDcCUyMGFsaWduJTNEJTIyY2VudGVyJTIyJTNFJTNDaWZyYW1lJTIwd2lkdGglM0QlMjI1NjAlMjIlMjBoZWlnaHQlM0QlMjIzMTUlMjIlMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy55b3V0dWJlLmNvbSUyRmVtYmVkJTJGOER6RzVTaHE3bUklMjIlMjBmcmFtZWJvcmRlciUzRCUyMjAlMjIlMjBhbGxvdyUzRCUyMmFjY2VsZXJvbWV0ZXIlM0IlMjBhdXRvcGxheSUzQiUyMGNsaXBib2FyZC13cml0ZSUzQiUyMGVuY3J5cHRlZC1tZWRpYSUzQiUyMGd5cm9zY29wZSUzQiUyMHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZSUyMiUyMGFsbG93ZnVsbHNjcmVlbiUzRSUzQyUyRmlmcmFtZSUzRQ==Find out more about our series of events to mark 30 years since Operation Desert Storm / GRANBY which includes regular blogs and interviews in the lead up to the 28th February 2021, 30 years since the end of the Gulf War.
