As an RAF bomber pilot Douglas Petty faced the realisation that his crew bombed civilians

From Shildon, County Durham, Douglas Petty was called up in June 1943, training as a Flight Engineer before joining a crew of Canadian airmen with 429 RCAF, based at RAF Leeming.

His aircrew went into active service in September 1944, completing 31 operational sorties. Over the course of his tour he was promoted twice, first to Pilot Officer and then Flying Officer.

On his final sortie, a daylight raid on 31 March 1945, his aircraft came under attack from Messerschmitt Me 262s, the world's first jet-powered fighter aircraft.

Doug Petty was interviewed in October 2022. He died on 31 December 2022, a few days before his 100th birthday.

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

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