Austin Peat was born in November 1923 into a family long established in Ringinglow. His grandmother lived there all her life; his grandfather moved from Dore when they married. Austin’s family lived in the village.

His parents were Joseph (born 1867) and Annie (nee Gregory) who was born in 1895

His father, Joseph, was a bricklayer but supported his children’s education. When Austin was successful in the 11+ test his parents enabled him to go to High Storrs. By 1939 Austin was a clerk at a railway depot.

Memorial near the site of RAF Desborough

By 1944 Austin was the navigator in a crew of five flying a Wellington bomber. In January, the crew took off on a training flight from RAF Desborough when the aircraft caught fire and crashed at Molesworth. All the crew of six, which included a Canadian and an Australian, were killed.

Austin Peat is buried in Fulwood Churchyard. This a family grave that has the a citation which reads:

In loving memory of our dear son Austin PEAT
Sgt-Navigator. Killed January 27th 1944 aged 20
years.

There is a  trapezioidal stone in the plot has RAF wings inscribed and has “From his friends at Ringinglow” on one side.

He is commemorated on the Bomber Command memorial in Lincoln and the plaque at Fulwood Church.