A REMARKABLE log book which charts the daring efforts of a Barnsley spitfire pilot - including when he was shot down - has been unearthed by his family after he died last week.
For more than 60 years, Flight Sergeant Peter Carbutt hardly spoke about his exploits during the second world war but his family have discovered a log book that lists every single one of his many missions flying against the enemy over the battlefields of France.
Ft Sgt Carbutt's neatly written log book charts his missions in the 132 Bombay attack squadron - and then the fateful posting written by someone else after he was shot down by enemy fire. Despite being shot down by a tank gun, he managed to fly back towards the lines and belly flop land his spitfire in a field - next to a line of Red Cross ambulances and went on to make a full recovery.
His son Michael, who found the log book, said: "I honestly had no idea. I knew he had flown spitfires, but he never really talked much about whet he did in the war. I'm so glad we have got this photograph and this log book because it is such a precious thing to have left behind."
Peter died aged 92 last week at Highgrove nursing home in Stairfoot.
** The full story is in the Barnsley Chronicle, dated April 17. **
