Desmond Peters enlisted in the Royal Air Force (RAF) May 1942. He trained, and graduated in Southern Rhodesia as a pilot. On return to England, he transferred to the Royal Navy (RN), and flew Fairey Barracuda dive / torpedo bombers while stationed at an RN air station in northern Scotland. At the war’s end, he enlisted in the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, and flew various marks of Spitfires including Marks 14, 16, 21, and 22.

In 1949, he emigrated to Canada and enlisted in the RCAF’s 401 (Auxiliary) Squadron flying de Havilland Vampires. With the start of the Korean war, he transferred to the RCAF Regular force and served an operational tour in France on Canadair-built F-86 Sabres from 1952 to 1954. He was granted a Permanent Commission in 1953.

Next he was posted to the Sabre Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Chatham, NB to teach new pilots on fighter tactics and instrument flying. He served as an instrument check pilot from 1954 to 1957. He was then posted to 401/438 Squadrons, Montreal, to train qualified Reserve pilots on the F-86 and, later, the C-45 Expeditor, T-33 Silver Star and CSR-123 Ober (on wheels/ski/floats) aircraft. He was then promoted to Flight Lieutenant.

With the 1962 arrival of CF-104 Starfighter aircraft into the RCAF, he started on the first student conversion course at Cold Lake, AB and was subsequently posted to 422 Squadron in Germany from 1963 to 1967. He served a full operational tour as a Nuclear Strike pilot while holding a particular target for 3 ½ years. During this Mme, he also served as O/C Flight Simulator where squadron pilots practised their operational flights. He also served as a controller on the wing flight-line during Tactical Evaluation tests, and was the Wing’s assistant maintenance test pilot for the CF-104 aircraft.

Promoted to Squadron Leader in 1967, he became O/C Regular Support Staff with the Montreal Reserve Squadrons until 1969.

From 1969 to retirement in 1972, he was the Senior Flight Safety officer in Mobile Command, reporting to the Commander. He was responsible for Command’s flight safety programs for all units based between Victoria, BC and the Army group, West Germany. He also devised a flight safety program which all army Brigade Commanders’ abended.

Joining the RCAF Association, he marched with veterans in the Battle of Britain ceremonies for 12 consecutive years. He was the RCAF Veterans Commander for five years. In February 2017, he was given an RCAF Commander’s award for services to the RCAF. He has also marched in the veterans’ contingent at the Battle of Atlantic ceremony for six years.

In 1972, he joined Transport Canada as an Aircraft Accident Investigator and finally retired in 1985. In his career, he accumulated 7,950 total flying hours (including 4,000 hrs piston / prop jets, 3,950 single engine jet hours), and he has flown at least 48 different aircraf types