Gulf War Aircrew POWs

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Sue MacGregor brings together the RAF men who were captured and tortured by the Iraqis during the first Gulf War. In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Despite UN sanctions and attempts at diplomacy, President Saddam Hussein ignored the deadline to remove his troops. Operation Desert Storm, made up of forces from a large coalition of nations, began with a massive air offensive in the early hours of 17th January. The RAF crews, flying Tornado aircraft from bases in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, had a particularly dangerous mission. Flying at low level, they targeted the airfields and runways, aiming to ground the Iraqi air force. The tactic took its toll and four planes were brought down very quickly after the start of the war. The pilot and navigator crews were captured by the Iraqis and held in appalling conditions - kept in solitary confinement, beaten and starved. Flight Lieutenant John Peters recalls how hearing the screams of other men was almost more frightening than being beaten yourself. Flight Lieutenant Robbie Stewart describes sitting with a plastic bowl on his head, trying to avoid flying debris as the allies unwittingly bombed the prison. During one raid, Peters took advantage of the chaos to shout to his navigator John Nichol, “I bet you’re not a fat bastard anymore!” It was Peters and Nichol who, unwillingly, provided one of the most memorable images of what has since become known as the first television war. On pain of death, they appeared with other POWs on Iraqi television, condemning the war. Joining Sue to recall their ordeal and its implications are airmen John Nichol, Robbie Stewart, John Peters, and his wife Helen, who was at home looking after a young family and waiting for news. Producer: Kate Taylor Series Producer: David Prest A Whistledown production for BBC Radio 4