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Our surviving hero of Operation Bagpipes
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squadron leader Pete Peters, is receiving full RAF Guard of Honour at his funeral today
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Now, Operation Bagpipes, that's the nuclear test work. He's a veteran of that, of course
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and he was denied a medal for decades due to the secrecy surrounding his mission
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But that was finally changed in 2024 when he was recognised. And now veterans will be lining up the streets
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to honour his service today. Let's cross now to our reporter, Isabel Fekulak, for more on this
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Isabel, talk to us about the timeline here. When did the MOD get involved and locals come in to support the memory of Pete Peters today
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Well, good morning. And it was just a couple of weeks ago when squadron leader Pete Peters' son
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went into their local funeral directors here and was very upset that he believed no one else would be attending the funeral service that he had organised for his father
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It was at that point that the directors here got involved, got in contact with the MOD and the RAF
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and now we're seeing quite the display on the High Street here in Lake and Heath
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We've just had the parade through the town. If you look far behind me, you can see the community, veterans and RAF personnel
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lining the streets to give the final goodbye to squadron leader, Pete Peters, one that he truly deserved
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And similar to the funeral that was originally planned his life didn really get the recognition that he deserved throughout his lifetime As we know he was the last surviving hero of
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Operation Bagpipes, and that mission took them on a very secret mission through to American
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nuclear clouds. Flying through there, half of that group of RAF pilots didn't even return
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home on an extremely dangerous mission that actually ended up providing data that massively
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contributed to Britain's nuclear history. At the time, the mission was top secret
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so he didn't get the recognition he deserved. Again, like you said, he didn't get that medal
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when nuclear veterans were awarded them. He campaigned from his house here in Macon Heath
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until he got recognition himself. When he got the medal, he said, about bloody time
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Now, he died on the 27th January, sadly, at the end of 93 years old
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It was on his 70th wedding anniversary that he passed away. I think today is a fitting tribute for absolutely someone who deserves it
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You know, a veteran of the RAF for 40 years, a remarkable man
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He's probably done more things in his life than we could ever imagine. I think Pete really needs the recognition that he so deserves
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and I'm really hoping that for Gareth, a lot of people turn out for him today
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Obviously a personal memory, although I didn't know the gentleman today. He was the squadron leader, but there was an appeal
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And just to thank him in some way for his service
