World War 2 Medal Collection Page 1 2
The other officer worthy of mention here was Flt Lt Peter Perry, one of 26 recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross on 208 Squadron in World War 2. Peter Perry’s DFC is particularly significant, however, since it was his flying of a tactical reconnaissance Hurricane which brought home the pre-campaign photographs for the most momentous battle of the Western Desert – the Battle of El Alamein – which, of course, the British won
208 Squadron’s war ended in northern Italy and, after that series of bloody campaigns, it was re-located to Palestine to patrol the borders of eastern Egypt and help maintain peace in the growing turbulence of the new post-war Middle East and the establishment of the modern state of Israel. The General Service Medal with clasp “Palestine 1945-48” was awarded for this action. When Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne of England, a medal to commemorate her coronation was issued and a number of 208 personnel received that medal, too. Next, back to Egypt and as the nationalisation of the Suez Canal took place and raised tensions still further, 208 personnel received the GSM “Near East”.
