SSGt Peter Colthup, Glider Pilot Regiment

[DavidIsby]

from Facebook: Glider Pilot Regiment Public Group ·
Jane Barkway-Harney
·
This morning we received the sad news that Glider Pilot Peter Colthup had passed away aged 103.
We were waiting for the families permission before we posted this notice and tribute .
Peter enlisted in 1939 at 17, and initially served with the Essex Regiment. He later signed up for the Glider Pilot Regiment in 1942 " so he could sit down instead of carrying a heavy gun", serving in North Africa and the invasion of Sicily before returning to the UK and being briefed for D Day in June 1944, but they were stood down and did not take part.
Staff Sergeant Peter Colthup, G sqdn, 24 flight took off from RAF Fairford as part of the 2nd lift on 18th September 1944 but endured a forced landing. They took off again the next day as part of the 3rd lift landing on Landing Zone 'L' and then on to Oosterbeek.
Peter was one of the lucky ones to return over the river.
Peter left the Glider Pilot Regiment in 1946 and lived in Toronto, Canada and New York, USA, returning to the UK in 2000. He lived in Kent, where members of the GPRS frequently visited him. He loved to hear and see pictures of what the Society was doing but he never understood all the fuss that was made of him.
He was always singing, playing music and loved to chat! A real joy to visit. He will be very much missed.
Our gratitude goes to Kim Conway, Ramon de Heer and Beverley Cooper for their visits to him.
RIP Peter Colthup