Biography

Family background

Peter Geoffrey Rich was born on the 19th February 1920 in Hastings, the elder son of Clissold Styles Saville Rich, a commercial traveller, and later company director, working in clothing manufacture, and his wife, Irene Vellacott Rich (nee McFee). He was baptised on the 4th April 1920 at All Saints Church in Hastings.

In 1921, at the time of the 1921 census, Peter and his mother were living at 1 St.Michael's Place in Brighton, while on that night, his father, Clissold, was staying at the West Somerset Hotel in Watchet, described as a visitor to the hotel, working as a commercial traveller.

Some time between 1921 and 1930, the family moved to Collingham, appearing on the electoral roll for 1930 living on the Leeds Road. In the 1939 National Registration Roll, Clissold, his wife Irene, and Peter are listed at Brooklands, Leeds Road, Collingham. They have been joined by a sister to Peter, Pauline H Rich, born in 1922, and there is a cook, Henrietta Goodger registered at the same address. The National Registration records are currently (2023) redacted for those people less than 100 years old. The record for Brooklands contains a redacted entry which might be another family member. In this roll, Clissold is a company director of a clothing manufacturer and Peter is described as doing 'voluntary farm work - disengaged'. Around this time we believe that Peter may have attended Pannal Ash College near Harrogate.

Service record

Although not mentioned on the 1939 roll, we think that Clissold Rich may have farmed in the Collingham area, and if that is correct, as the son of a farmer, Peter may have been exempt from conscription. However Peter joined the RAF in October 1939 as an Aircrafthand, then quickly volunteered for air crew duties. After a medical at Cardington, he was then sent to Jurby on the Isle of Man to undergo an Air Gunnery course.

RAF Jurby, completed by the start of the war, was initially designated to be the No. 5 Armament Training Station, and it officially opened on the 18th September 1939 as No. 5 Air Observers School, and subsequently became the No. 5 Bombing and Gunnery School on 1st December. The role of the station was to facilitate the training of bomber crews. The aircraft employed for the training were such as the Handley Page Heyford, which had started to be replaced in 1937 from the front line squadrons, having been deemed obsolete, and slightly later the Bristol Blenheim MkI. The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company (Bristol) which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War. The Blenheim typically carried a crew of three – the pilot, the navigator/bombardier and the wireless (radio) operator who doubled as the air gunner. The pilot and navigator/bombardier were seated alongside each other in a cramped cockpit while the wireless operator/air gunner was housed aft of the wing alongside the aircraft's dorsal gun turret. Peter Rich trained as an air gunner and would have taken this position during flight operations. After being awarded his air gunner's badge, Peter was posted to 25 Squadron at Martlesham Heath in June 1940.

During the early part of World War II, 25 Squadron RAF flew night patrols in Blenheims later replaced by Beaufighters and later still by Mosquitos. It had moved from North Weald to Martlesham Heath on the 19th June 1940.

Information from the internet suggests that on an occasion when Martlesham Heath was severely bombed by the Luftwaffe, Rich was flying with Sgt John Jones and were returning from Zinden Zee when r/t communications were lost. Perplexed by what appeared as bonfires on the airfield, they spotted enemy aircraft dropping bombs and gave chase, but to no avail. Unfortunately this detail is not recorded in the 25 Squadron RAF Operational Record Book.

In early September 1940, 25 Squadron moved to North Weald and Beaufighters began to replace the Blenheims. As there was no call for air gunners on the Beaufighter, Rich was given the chance of being re-classified as Radio Operator (Air) or to remain as an Air Gunner. Rich decided to stay as an air gunner. The 25 Squadron Operations Record Book records Sgt Rich flying as observer/navigator on three operations between 2nd Oct and 12th Dec 1940. First, on the 2nd October in Blenheim ZK-P piloted by Pilot Officer Monk and with AC Turnbull as the gunner. They took off at midnight and returned at 02.20 having flown an X-raid patrol. Then, on 11th October, in squadron Blenheim 'T' piloted by Squadron Leader Mitchell, Rich and Turnbull took off at 23.10 and returned at 00.15 having patrolled the base, but not seeing any enemy aircraft. Finally, on 12th December, Sgt Bennett piloted Blenheim Q taking off at 21.40 and landing at 00.20. The internet also suggests that Peter Rich flew as air gunner on numerous night time patrols over London, often with PO Lusk, a pilot from New Zealand.

In late December 1940, 25 Squadron moved to Wittering and as the Beaufighter began to equip the whole squadron, Peter Rich was posted away in January 1941. He then joined 8 BAF at Leuchars, and then on to OTUs at Kinloss and Whitby. Around August 1941 Rich was posted to join the newly formed 458 Squadron RAAF at Holme-on-Spalding Moor equipped with Wellingtons. The 458 Squadron Operations Record book shows him taking part in one raid, on the 22nd October 1941, in Wellington IV number Z1279. The crew of six were: Pilot/Captain: CEL Hare; 2nd Pilot: Sgt B McFadden; Observer: P/Off DJ Perdue; Wireless Operator: Sgt J Shirra; Forward air gunner: Sgt AA Taylor; and Rear Gunner: Sgt PG Rich. They took off at 18.30 to target Le Havre. They bombed and saw bomb bursts on the north side of the docks, but saw no fires. On the return they got lost between Abingdon and Base as they failed to obtain wireless help and did not recognise any beacons. They eventually landed safely at Squires Gate.

In early 1942, Peter Rich left 458 Squadron when it left for the Middle East, being posted first to HQ RAF Holme on the 12th November 1941. Peter then did an air gunnery instructor's course, and afterwards was posted to Dalcross, near Inverness as an instructor, later instructing at Castle Kennedy and then at Bishops Court in Northern Ireland. He was released from the RAF in early 1946 as a Warrant Officer.

After the war

After the war, Peter Rich returned to the Wetherby area. He appears on the Collingham electoral rolls in 1946 and 1947. Peter's father Clissold SS Rich died on the 6th March 1947 in Cattal Lodge, Tockwith. 1947 was also the occasion of a happier event for Peter Rich, when he married. The local press carried a report:

Peter's new wife was Eileen Gaunt from Collingham, who also served in the war (see here). In 1948 Peter and Eileen are recorded on the electoral rolls living at Orchard Gate, Linton, and then in 1949 at Cattal Lodge, Cattal near Tockwith.

Then, in 1951, on the 9th August, The Bradford Observer published the following piece:

We do not know much about his life in South Africa, but we believe Peter G Rich died on the 26th January 2003 in Bryanston, Gauteng, South Africa.

Biography last updated 22 May 2023 17:28:06.