Flying Officers World War II Records Revealed After Nearly Seven Decades
Victoria, Australia (PRWEB) September 23, 2012
Leslie Theodore Streete was a capable young man, a successful fighter pilot and a Flying Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. Upon his return to Australia at the end of WW2, he should have enjoyed a triumphant homecoming, but bad memories troubled him. For over 60 years, he locked away the whole record of the years 1943-1945. Chancing upon author Peter R. Fitton gave Streete the opportunity to bring closure to that harrowing chapter in his life and finally tell his story in his new book, Never Been Hit.
Never Been Hit is the remarkable story of a young Australian, a country boy from New South Wales. He was one of the many thousands who journeyed to Canada to train as a fighter pilot. He was good, very good, finally joining 66 Squadron RAF in Belgium at the end of November 1944.
The German High Command was desperate. They needed fuel and more time, believing their Vengeance Weapons could still turn the tide of the war in their favor. From numerous bases they were firing thousands of V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets against targets in Britain and Holland. In the bitterly cold winter of 1944 came the Battle of the Bulge, a massive surprise attack against the Western Allies. Their lines crumpled but did not break. They fell back, held the line, and then slowly moved forward.
Winter gave way to spring. The snows began to thaw and the skies to clear. With the weather improving, came the reckoning. The Russian Armies were advancing relentlessly from the East. In the West, the Allies had amassed a mighty invasion force. It crossed the Rhine and surged forward. The war ravaged and depleted Germany could not stand in the face of this onslaught. It was a country facing total chaos and defeat. Our young Australian was caught up in this frantic drive to victory.
Complete with details of his combat experience, flight training details, photographs of aircraft, campaign maps and much else, Never Been Hit not only brings peace to Les Streete, but presents our generation with a most extraordinary war memoir.
For more information on this book, interested parties can log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.au.
About the Author
Peter Fitton lives in Melbourne. Peter has had a lifelong interest in aviation and holds an Australian private pilots licence. Never Been Hit is his first book. Writing it has been a challenge for Peter as well as a privilege. Peter believes that World War II produced many Les Streetes. His story is not all that rare. There were thousands of brave young men who fought the good fight. But Les left a detailed record that Peter was able to sift through in order to create this story.
Like most fighting men and women of their time, Les knew little of the wider conflict. His task was to carry out orders. But Peter has placed the exploits of Les Streete and his Squadron into the strategic picture of the war in Europe. 66 Squadron RAF was one of the first British squadrons to be based on the Continent following D-Day and it served with distinction until the end of the War in Europe.
Peter has been humbled by the experience of writing about an Australian fighter pilot, especially one so deserving as Les Streete. He hopes current and future generations can marvel at the dedication and sacrifice of people like Les Streete as Australia moves forward into the 21st century.
Never Been Hit * by Peter R. Fitton
Quite A Story
Publication Date: July 6, 2012
Trade Paperback; AU$ 29.99; 303 pages; 978-1-4771-2356-0
Trade Hardback; AU$ 49.99; 303 pages; 978-1-4771-2357-7
eBook; AU$ 3.99; 978-1-4771-2358-4
Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at 1-800-618-969. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (02) 8282-5055 or call 1-800-618-960.
Xlibris books can be purchased at Xlibris bookstore. For more information, contact Xlibris at 1-800-618-969 or on the web at http://www.Xlibris.com.au.
Categories: Memory Videos Tags: **Nearly, after, Decades, Flying, Officers, Records, Revealed, Seven, WORLD
Seven Steps Towards a Sustainable Holiday Season (and Life Beyond)
Seven Steps Towards a Sustainable Holiday Season (and Life Beyond)
Starksboro, VT (PRWEB) December 21, 2011
Who doesn’t hate holiday lists – just more stuff to complicate your already hectic life, right? But this is probably the time of year you are expending a fair amount of energy – your own personal time, and the carbon-emitting type. The New Year is also a time for personal renewal and re-dedication – we resolve to work out regularly, cook at home more often, try harder to reason with our hormonal teenager.
So why not make some resolutions that will have an impact not only on your life and pocketbook (and maybe that troublesome adolescent), but on your community and the planet as well? Think of this as a list to turn your holiday blues in a greener direction.
1. You don’t need to buy lots of holiday gifts – I am not particularly crafty, but I do lots of baking and preserving. My husband takes great photos. I’ve a friend who exchanges funny, home-made Christmas decorations with her family each year. Your gifts are only a demonstration that you care for your chosen circle. Those you love are as happy to enjoy a good cookie, or laugh at a crazy photo, as they are to get a plastic trinket made by underage workers from China. Okay, maybe that’s an understatement.
2. Give an experience rather than an object – do your friends and family really need more “stuff”? Probably not. Why not gift them tickets to a baseball game, concert, or a local movie theater? Or how about one of the all-inclusive retreats or family camps at the Common Ground Center (hint hint!)?
3. Buy locally – if you can’t make all your own gifts to give, buy what you can locally. It’s great if your town has a local crafts fair so you can support your neighbors. Or look for a locally-owned store, rather than a chain or Amazon. You’ll keep more money in your community, support local artists and dedicate less of your gift-giving dollars to shipping items around the globe. And maybe you’ll even have a thriving downtown when you go shopping again next year.
4. Engage your children in holiday projects – a friend of mine has a holiday tradition of creating gingerbread houses – or even villages – with her sons. Sometimes their vision is successful – the house hangs together, and more frosting ends up between the gingerbread than on their clothes – and sometimes not. But creating the project is hours of time spent together, and laughs and memories later. Seems like time well spent.
5. Tailor your holiday to your needs – our family is always confused around the holiday, since we are not religious and can find lots to like in any of the seasonal celebrations – Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa. We settled on celebrating any 8 nights we are all together during the holiday season. There are 5 of us, so each has a special night when s/he shares gifts with the rest of the family, and gets to bask in their appreciation. One night we get a family gift – something we all can share. One night we decide on a gift to give our community – could be volunteering or making a donation to a favored cause. And one night is for friends – maybe invite them to a special meal. We don’t always make it through all 8 nights, but giving is as celebrated as getting, and that’s the point for us.
6. Challenge yourself to make holiday meals from locally grown foods – there’s plenty of fresh food still available from local farmers – roots, apples, greens, cheeses, and for non-vegetarians, meat. Some communities have winter Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and farmer’s markets; some coops and health food stores identify which foods are locally-sourced. Enjoy these foods, support local agriculture and reduce the distance your food has to travel to your plate.
7. Make your holiday focus on friends and family – the comfort we seek in these short, dark days is community, not more stuff. Invite friends over, invite your kids’ friends over, have fun with your extended family. It’s the warmth of each other’s company we seek when it’s this cold outside.
I hope you’ll find these tips useful, and I’d love to hear yours! Feel free to comment on the Common Ground Center’s facebook page to share your ideas. And best wishes for a happy, healthy, and green New Year.
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Categories: Memory Articles Tags: Beyond, Holiday, Life, Season, Seven, Steps, Sustainable, Towards
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