The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. A M Hill

Arnold Maurice Hill was born on 29th July 1916 in Luton.

His father, L/Cpl. Harold James Hill, served with the 29th Machine Gun Corps and died on 10th April 1918 in the 33rd Casualty Clearing Station in France from wounds sustained on the battlefield. He lies in Haverskerque British Cemetery.

AM Hill joined the RAFVR in March 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot. Called up on 1st September 1939, he completed his training and joined 25 Squadron in late September 1940.

He had married Margaret Chapman in April 1940 in Battle, Sussex.

Commissioned from Warrant Officer in May 1942, Hill was awarded the DFC (gazetted 2nd February 1943), still serving with 25 Squadron and credited with two enemy aircraft destroyed at night.

His subsequent service is currently undocumented until the night of 19th/20th October 1944 when Hill was aloft in Mosquito NF XIX TA400 of 85 Squadron, airborne from Swannington on a night intruder sortie.

It came down 45km south of Munich, cause unknown.

The observer F/Lt. Gregory Bernard Brooker was killed and is buried in Durnbach War Cemetery.

Hill survived and was taken prisoner, spending most of the time at Stalag Luft 1 Barth.

He died in December 1998 in Luton.