Under the Red Eagle

Frank Pearce's overseas tour had all the makings of an epic drama, the kind that only a world embroiled in war could stage. He kicked off with the 24 Wireless Unit, a signals detachment that acted as the military’s all-seeing eye, initially dispatched to Iraq, expecting a German blitzkrieg through Turkey. But when that invasion turned out to be nothing more than a mirage, the unit shifted to northern Persia, where the air was thick with tension, as if the Germans were about to stroll over the Caucasus and snatch its prized oilfields. Fortunately, the Battle of Stalingrad threw a spanner in those works.

Eventually, 24 Wireless Unit found itself rubbing shoulders with General Montgomery and the Eighth Army in Egypt. In the unforgiving Western Desert, Frank shifted gears to join the HQ Staff of 239 Wing of the Desert Air Force, a role that would carry him through the rest of the war.

239 Wing was a veritable United Nations of the skies, with RAF and Commonwealth squadrons from South Africa, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Armed to the teeth with Kittyhawks and Mustangs, they were ready to unleash hell on their foes. Their mission? To provide air support for the British 8th Army and the US 5th Army. From the Salerno landings to the audacious breaching of the Pescara Dam, and from the relentless assaults on Monte Cassino to the liberation of Rome, 239 Wing was always in the thick of it. Their precision was so spot-on that they once managed to bomb Venice harbour without leaving a scratch on its historical gems.

Throughout this hair-raising saga, Frank had three close calls with the Grim Reaper that would have sent lesser men packing. Yet he soldiered on, wrapping up his service on German soil with a jaw-dropping encounter in the Dolomites.

But war, as always, is a heartless beast. As Frank returned from his whirlwind adventure, he couldn’t ignore the empty chairs at his table. Many of his mates from 239 Wing were gone, their heroism etched into the annals of history.

This memoir isn’t just a personal account; it’s a heartfelt salute to their bravery. It’s a reminder that even amidst the chaos of war, the unbreakable bond of camaraderie thrives, worthy of remembrance and honour.

Publisher - Woodfield Publishing Ltd

Language - English

Perfect Bound

Contributors

By author

Frank Pearce

Published Date - 2025-05-24

ISBN - 9781903953341

Dimensions - 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm

Page Count - 232