Peter Little

As an experienced modern pentathlete, Peter Little represented Great Britain in competitions across Europe, and in 1959 took part in the World Championships at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The following year he won the British Championship at Aldershot, clinching the title on the final running event. His only Olympic appearance was also in 1960 when the British team finished seventh and Little was 26th out of 60 in the individual event.

Little was educated at Wellington College, New Zealand, during which time he always had the ambition to become a pilot. On leaving school, however, he became a fatstock buyer before starting a short commission in the Royal Air Force (RAF). He was then admitted to RAF Cranwell in 1954, from where he passed out in 1957, having been awarded the Sword of Honour as the best all-round cadet.

Little qualified as a flying instructor in 1960 and took up a similar post back at Cranwell in 1963. He later took command of a Canberra squadron, prior to taking up a post in the Far East as Air Advisor to the Army and Navy. Little returned to the UK in the early 1970s and took up the post as commanding officer of the Simulator Unit at RAF Coningsby where he became known as “Mr Simulator”. Little retired in 1974 and returned to his native New Zealand.