Alan McGregor Peart, (25 July 1922 – 5 September 2018) was a New Zealand fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War. He served in Europe with No. 610 Squadron, and with No. 81 Squadron in North Africa, Malta, Sicily, Italy and the Far East. He is credited with the destruction of six enemy aircraft, plus a share in another aircraft destroyed. He is also notable for having shot down aircraft from all three main Axis powers—Germany, Italy and Japan.
Early life
Alan McGregor Peart was born in Nelson, New Zealand, on 25 July 1922. He was educated at the Hamilton Technical High School, and played rugby. After completing his schooling, he worked as a draughting cadet at the Tauranga branch of the Department of Public Works. He also served in the Territorial Force, as a private in the Hauraki Battalion.
Second World War
Peart joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in May 1941. According to his memoirs, he was selected to be trained as a bomber pilot but protested to the commander of the flying school. He successfully advocated that he be sent for training as a fighter pilot instead. After completing his training, he was sent to England to serve with the Royal Air Force. He received further flight training at Hullavington and then proceeded to No. 55 Operational Training Unit at Annan in Scotland, learning to operate the Hawker Hurricane fighter.
In June 1942, Peart was posted to No. 610 Squadron with the rank of sergeant pilot. Commanded by Squadron Leader Johnnie Johnson, the squadron operated the Supermarine Spitfire fighter. He was involved in numerous sorties to continental Europe, including providing aerial cover for the Dieppe Raid in August, until November when he was transferred to No. 81 Squadron, at the time based in Algeria and operating Spitfire Vbs from Maison Blanche, near Algiers.
Mediterranean
On 1 December, Peart destroyed an Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 bomber over Bone Harbour and damaged another. On 31 December he damaged a Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter while flying the personal aircraft of Wing Commander Petrus Hugo. The following year, the squadron's Spitfire Vbs were replaced by the superior Spitfire IX. By this time Peart had been commissioned and was now a pilot officer. On 23 April 1943, he damaged a Bf 109 and two days later destroyed another near Medjez-el-Bab. Soon afterwards, the squadron shifted to the island of Malta and began flying operations to Sicily and Italy as the Italian campaign commenced. Some of the squadron's Spitfires had to be exchanged with the older Spitfire Vcs.
During the invasion of Sicily on 10 July, No. 81 Squadron helped protect the landings. While on patrol on 16 July, No. 81 Squadron encountered a dozen Bf 109s; Peart damaged one of them, when flying one of the older Spitfire Vcs. A few days later, the squadron began operating from Sicily itself. While escorting Douglas Boston bombers over the Gulf of Saint Euphemia on 28 August, Peart, back in a Spitfire IX, was among eight Spitfires that fended off an attack by a group of Bf 109s, destroying one of them in the process. On 13 September, when leading a flight of six Spitfires, he helped two other pilots destroy one of three Dornier Do 217 bombers attacking Allied shipping near the beachhead at Salerno. Afterwards he had to land at Salerno due to an overheating engine. He caught a ride back on a Douglas C47 transport back to his airfield.