Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...
Arthur Hicks Peck, (25 April 1889 – 14 February 1975) was an officer of the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
, who was a
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
credited with eight aerial victories in the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
Family background and education
Arthur Peck was born in
Darjeeling
Darjeeling (, , ) is a town and municipality in the northernmost region of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located in the Eastern Himalayas, it has an average elevation of . To the west of Darjeeling lies the easternmost province of Nepal, ...
, India,
the only son of Lieutenant Colonel Francis Samuel Peck (1858–1908) of
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
.
His father was a surgeon in the
Indian Medical Service
The Indian Medical Service (IMS) was a military medical service in British India, which also had some civilian functions. It served during the two World Wars, and remained in existence until the independence of India in 1947. Many of its officer ...
, who died at sea aboard while returning to England.
Peck attended
Clifton College
''The spirit nourishes within''
, established = 160 years ago
, closed =
, type = Public schoolIndependent boarding and day school
, religion = Christian
, president =
, head_label = Head of College
, head ...
, Bristol, from 1903 to 1906, and was admitted to
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 170 graduate students. The college was founded by William Byngham in 1437 as ...
, before spending the years
1908 to 1914 in Australia.
First World War
Peck was commissioned as a temporary (wartime only)
second lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...
in the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
on 7 December 1914, and served in the
Devonshire Regiment
The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the First World War and the Second World War. In 1958 ...
in France and Salonika.
He eventually joined the
Royal Flying Corps
"Through Adversity to the Stars"
, colors =
, colours_label =
, march =
, mascot =
, anniversaries =
, decorations ...
, being transferred to the General List and appointed a flying officer on 4 October 1916. He was appointed a
flight commander with the
temporary rank
Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships, within armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. The military rank system defines dominance, authority, and responsibility in a m ...
of
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
on 23 June 1917, and served in
No. 111 Squadron based in
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
.
Flying a
Bristol F.2
The Bristol F.2 Fighter is a British First World War two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft developed by Frank Barnwell at the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter, ''"Brisfit"'' or ''"Biff"'' ...
two-seater, with Captain
John Lloyd-Williams as his observer/gunner, Peck's first aerial victory came on 30 October 1917, forcing down a Type C reconnaissance aircraft north-west of
Al-Khalasa
Al-Khalasa ( ar, الخلصة, al-Khalasah; he, אל-ח'אלצה, ''al-Khalatsah''), was a Palestinian village, located 23 kilometers southwest of the town of Beersheba. The village stood at the site of an ancient town from the Nabatean, Roman, By ...
, which was then captured. On 6 November he and Williams forced a Rumpler C to land at Um Dabkal, and on 8 November they shot down in flames an
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service ('' Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). ...
over
Hulayqat.
On 17 November Peck was recommended for a
Military Cross
The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.
The MC i ...
, following an action on 29 October when he single-handedly drove off three enemy reconnaissance aircraft over the
Gaza Front.
Peck's squadron was then re-equipped with the
S.E.5a single-seat fighter, and on 4 December he drove down another D.III out of control over Junction Station.
Peck's award of the Military Cross was
gazetted
A gazette is an official journal, a newspaper of record, or simply a newspaper.
In English and French speaking countries, newspaper publishers have applied the name ''Gazette'' since the 17th century; today, numerous weekly and daily newspapers ...
on 18 January 1918. On 3 March he and Major F. W. Stent shared in the destruction of a Type C reconnaissance aircraft south-east of Yehudieh, for Peck's fifth victory, earning him
flying ace
A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...
status.
The next day, 4 March, he was awarded the
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly of other parts of the Commonwealth, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typ ...
. Finally, on 23 March, Peck drove down out of control a Type C and two D.IIIs north of
Jericho
Jericho ( ; ar, أريحا ; he, יְרִיחוֹ ) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. It is located in the Jordan Valley, with the Jordan River to the east and Jerusalem to the west. It is the administrative seat of the Jericho Gove ...
,
an action which earned him a
Bar
Bar or BAR may refer to:
Food and drink
* Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages
* Candy bar
* Chocolate bar
Science and technology
* Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment
* Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud
* Bar (u ...
to his Military Cross.
Peck received a
mention in despatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
"for distinguished, gallant and valuable services and devotion to duty" from General
Sir Edmund Allenby, the
General Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Egyptian Expeditionary Force
The Egyptian Expeditionary Force (EEF) was a British Empire military formation, formed on 10 March 1916 under the command of General Archibald Murray from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and the Force in Egypt (1914–15), at the beginning of ...
, on 3 April, and on 13 April Peck was promoted to temporary
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
.
Inter-war career
Peck relinquished his commission, after the end of hostilities, on 29 April 1919, but six months later, on 24 October, he was granted a short-service commission as a
flight lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in air forces that use the Royal Air Force (RAF) system of ranks, especially in Commonwealth countries. It has a NATO rank code of OF-2. Flight lieutenant is abbreviated as Flt Lt in the India ...
in the RAF.
On 17 June 1920 Peck married Marjorie Amy Clare-Smith at
St. Paul's Church,
Clifton
Clifton may refer to:
People
*Clifton (surname)
*Clifton (given name)
Places
Australia
* Clifton, Queensland, a town
**Shire of Clifton
*Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong
*Clifton, Western Australia
Canada
*Clifton, Nova Scotia ...
, Bristol.
In January 1921 his short-service commission was made permanent, and he was a member of the aerobatic display team, led by Squadron Leader
Christopher Draper
Squadron Commander Christopher Draper (15 April 1892 – 16 January 1979), was an English flying ace of World War I. His penchant for flying under bridges earned him the nickname "the Mad Major". After the war he became a film star through h ...
, in the annual Royal Air Force Aerial Pageant in June.
On 1 January 1923 Peck was promoted to
squadron leader
Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...
, and on 6 February was transferred from
No. 2 Flying Training School
No.2 Flying Training School is a Flying Training School (FTS) of the Royal Air Force, Royal Air Force (RAF). It is part of No. 22 Group RAF, No. 22 (Training) Group that delivers glider flying training to the Royal Air Force Air Cadets. Its head ...
, and appointed
Officer Commanding
The officer commanding (OC), also known as the officer in command or officer in charge (OiC), is the commander of a sub-unit or minor unit (smaller than battalion size), principally used in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. In other countries, ...
,
No. 25 Squadron, based in
Constantinople
la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه
, alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
. No. 25 Squadron eventually returned to England from its base in
San Stefano in October 1923, and was then based at
RAF Hawkinge
Royal Air Force Hawkinge or more simply RAF Hawkinge is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Ashford, north of Folkestone, Kent and west of Dover, Kent, England. The airfield was used by both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal ...
, flying the
Gloster Grebe
The Gloster Grebe was developed by the Gloster Aircraft Company from the Gloster Grouse (an experimental aircraft later developed as a trainer), and was the Royal Air Force's first post- First World War fighter aircraft, entering service in 1 ...
Mk. II, and a small number of
Sopwith Snipe
The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of th ...
s. On 27 June 1925 the squadron took part in the annual Royal Air Force Display at
Hendon
Hendon is an urban area in the Borough of Barnet, North-West London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of Great ...
, giving a demonstration of "Squadron Drill", where nine Grebes flew in a series of formations, controlled by the new system of
radio telephony, which allowed Peck to speak directly to his aircraft while in flight, rather than relying on hand signals or wing-waggling. A radio station on the ground also received the signals, and broadcast them over loudspeakers to the crowd, and they were relayed to the
British Broadcasting Company
The British Broadcasting Company Ltd. (BBC) was a short-lived British commercial broadcasting company formed on 18 October 1922 by British and American electrical companies doing business in the United Kingdom. Licensed by the British Genera ...
, who transmitted them from their stations
2LO in London, and 5XX in Chelmsford. Later in the year Peck led No. 25 Squadron in the annual Army manoeuvres, attached to the forces of "Mercia" against "Wessex".
On 7 December 1926 Peck was posted to the Headquarters of
RAF Iraq, and took command of
No. 6 Armoured Car Company on 14 January 1927. On 25 April 1928 Peck was appointed commander of
No. 55 Squadron, Iraq, and on 15 March 1929 received his second mention in despatches, "for distinguished services rendered in connection with the
operations against the Akhwan in the Southern Desert,
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, during the period November 1927 – May 1928", from Air Vice-Marshal
Sir Edward Ellington,
Air Officer Commanding,
British Forces in Iraq.
Peck returned to England in early 1929, where he was promoted to
wing commander
Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
on 1 July 1929, and two weeks later, on 15 July, was posted to the Headquarters of the
Air Defence of Great Britain
The Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB) was a RAF command comprising substantial army and RAF elements responsible for the air defence of the British Isles. It lasted from 1925, following recommendations that the RAF take control of homeland air ...
to serve on the Air Staff. He left the ADGB on 19 August 1932, and was appointed Station Commander of
RAF Northolt
("Ready to carry or to fight")
, pushpin_map = Greater London
, pushpin_label = RAF Northolt
, pushpin_map_caption = Shown within Greater London
, coordinates =
, type = Royal Air Force station
, code =
, site_area =
, height =
, owners ...
the following day, taking over from Wing Commander
Keith Park
Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park, (15 June 1892 – 6 February 1975) was a New Zealand-born officer of the Royal Air Force (RAF). During the Second World War, his leadership of the RAF's No. 11 Group was pivotal to the Luftwaffe's defe ...
. Peck was promoted to
group captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force, where it originated, as well as the air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. It is sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank i ...
on 1 July 1935, giving up command of Northolt on 3 November, and being appointed Senior Air Staff Officer at the Headquarters of RAF Far East at Singapore on 21 December.
Second World War
Peck served in the RAF during the Second World War, and although he reached the mandatory retirement age on 25 April 1942, was re-employed, until reverting to the retired list at his own request on 8 September 1944.
Awards and citations
;Military Cross
: Temporary Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Arthur Hicks Peck, General List and Royal Flying Corps.
::"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He engaged single-handed three enemy aeroplanes, though they had superior height. He drove them back over their lines and prevented them from carrying out their reconnaissance."
;Distinguished Service Order
:Temporary Captain Arthur Hicks Peck, MC, General List and Royal Flying Corps.
::"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During two months aerial fighting he has never hesitated to attack the enemy when they were in superior numbers. On one occasion, when piloting a scout, he engaged a hostile formation consisting of four scouts and two two-seaters, completely dispersing them and driving one down out of control. His dash, resourcefulness and skill have been most marked."
;Bar to Military Cross
:Temporary Captain Arthur Hicks Peck, DSO, MC, Royal Flying Corps.
::"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While patrolling at a height of 14,000 feet he observed a formation of five enemy aircraft attempting a reconnaissance. He attacked the top machine, a scout, and drove it down out of control. He then attacked the second scout, which he also drove down out of control. He finally attacked a two-seater, and so quickly that he got to close quarters and opened fire with both guns. That, too, he sent down out of control. His performance was a splendid one, besides being costly for the enemy."
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peck, Arthur
1889 births
1975 deaths
People from Darjeeling
People educated at Clifton College
Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge
Devonshire Regiment officers
Royal Flying Corps officers
Royal Air Force officers
British World War I flying aces
Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
Recipients of the Military Cross
British people in colonial India