When the war started, Dick Peach was working as an engineering apprentice with Rolls Royce. He joined the Fleet Air Arm in November 1941. He carried out initial training at Sealand and Kingston,Ontario,and then, following a torpedo course at Crail,went on operations in the Indian Ocean. He flew Barracudas from HMS Illustrious in 1943-44. He became an instructor at Caril in 1945, and completed the first Maintenance Unit Test Pilot's Course at Worthy Down.He returned to Rolls-Royce in 1946 as Test and Liasion pilot in relation to the Royal Navy. He introduced the art of ultra-low RPM cruising into the Seafire squadrons. The company converted him onto multi-engined Bombers and Transports. He flew meteors and undertook pilot training in engine handling with the airforces of Denmark,Holland and Belgium.
He was killed in the first accident involving a Canberra on 13th June 1951 at Hucknall.
