In 1937 at the age of 14, Peter enlisted in the Army as an apprentice in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The following year, with World War II looming, he was sent for training as a boy soldier.

In 1942, now old enough for frontline service, he was posted to North Africa for the invasion of Sicily and saw some heavy fighting.

On returning to England, Peter was posted to the 2nd Battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry – an elite unit which in 1943 was attached to the 6^th Airborne Division and specialised in glider borne operations. Peter’s regiment was assigned a leading role on D-Day, taking part in Operation Tonga, the airborne forces’ early morning landings behind the D-Day beaches.

Peter served until 1949. In April 2023, he found solace and camaraderie among fellow veterans at Broughton House.